Five Go Mad at Christmas
by cjh4ever
Summary: AU. Fourth in the series, this is set after FGM in Cardiff. It's 1968 and the friends are in their 20s. All characters are vital to the story but Jack and Ianto are the main focus. Some adult themes. Based loosely on two TW episodes.
1. Meeting Old Friends

_For this story, it is December 1968 and the friends are gathering to celebrate Christmas. Some major references to at least two Torchwood episodes in later chapers. _

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><p><strong>Five Go Mad at Christmas<strong>

Chapter One: Meeting Old Friends

Three days to Christmas and Cambridge city centre was decked out in lights and festive glitz. Every street corner seemed to have a tree and carols bled out of every shop doorway. The people on the streets were laden with bulging bags but that didn't stop them continuing to shop. Most were in a good humour but some were frazzled and tetchy from the pressure of being ready in time.

Most years Toshiko Sato was out there with them, as excited as everyone else. She liked buying her main presents early but still went to the shops for small gifts to put on the tree or for special treats to eat before the fire with her family. Being out amongst the shoppers was part of the fun of the holidays. This year, like last, Toshiko could not get excited. She had made her preparations mechanically, buying everything in one morning last month and then forgotten about it. Work had been all consuming. In her final year at Girton College, she was head and shoulders ahead of her peers also studying electrical and mechanical engineering. She was often also ahead of her tutors who were confident she would get a double First. Her natural ability was the main reason but the long hours buried in her books and the lab over the past year and a half was another. With no other calls on her time, she had worked long into the night and at weekends. This Christmas, with her parents and brother in Japan for the holiday, she had stayed studying in College for an extra week after everyone else had left.

Trudging along the windy streets, case in hand, she kept her head down and concentrated on avoiding the crowds. It was time to leave the cocoon of Cambridge and venture into the world again. She didn't feel like it but Jack, Ianto and Gwen had been very supportive and she felt she ought to repay their kindness. Battling the wind and the other pedestrians, she wished the College was nearer the city centre. She had already had one bus ride but rather than wait for another, which was bound to be full, she set off for the railway station still some distance away. Her shoulder bag and case were growing heavier by the minute. An image flashed into her brain of a case with wheels on the bottom; that would be so much more practical. Working out the mechanics of how to design one to balance the weight of case and contents and yet be easy to push – or pull, perhaps – kept her distracted until she reached the station. The board showed a train leaving in fifteen minutes and she made her way to the platform, securing a seat in an empty compartment. There weren't many people travelling to London at midday on the Friday before Christmas.

By the time the train left she had been joined by a mother and her son, about ten years old, who took seats by the window. The mother had smiled at Toshiko but not spoken when it was clear she did not want to be disturbed. Toshiko got out her books and started working on some detailed propulsion calculations and did not even notice when the other passengers got off at Bishop's Stortford. When the train entered the London suburbs, she packed away her books and looked across the carriage and out of the window. She had made this journey so often she recognised each landmark. How many times had she travelled to visit her grandfather and aunts in London and as a necessary stop on the journey to her parents' home at Cardiff? Dozens. And there had been the trips to see Owen …

"Stop it," she said aloud, thumping a fist down hard on her thigh. There was no point dwelling on what was over. Owen Harper was no longer in her life and no amount of wishing would make it otherwise.

The train crept the last few yards and entered Liverpool Street Station. Glad to have arrived, she gathered her belongings and followed the other passengers onto the platform. At the barrier she was surprised to see a fresh-faced boy standing with a handwritten sign on which was written her name. He smiled as she emerged from the crowd.

"Hey, Tosh, great to see you!" He enveloped her in a hug. "Good trip?"

"I'm sorry …." She pulled back, straightening her cap. "Do I know you?"

He laughed uproariously, attracting many surprised but indulgent glances from the crowd. "Sure you do. I'm the love struck puppy who followed you around for years. Gray?"

She stood looking at the boy, mouth open in surprise. How could little Gray Harkness have grown into this handsome young man so quickly? He was fourteen, no fifteen she corrected, but looked older. Taller than her and with broad shoulders. He was still thin but as muscles developed he would fill out. A shock of dark hair cut on the short side for UK fashion framed an open face, sparkling eyes and a lopsided grin.

"Oh, Gray, it's wonderful to see you!" She opened her arms and hugged him fiercely. "But what are you doing here?"

"Come to meet you. It was Ianto's idea to have the sign, said you wouldn't recognise me." He bent down and picked up her case. "And he gave me cash for a taxi. They're this way." With great aplomb he took her arm and steered her through the crowd.

She laughed at the absurdity of this boy taking charge of her. A small corner of her mind wondered when she had last laughed from sheer pleasure. A long time ago, she decided. "What are you doing in London? Are you with your parents? Where's Jack? I thought he was coming to meet me. Not that I need anyone."

"Boy, you ask a lot of questions. Okay. Stopover on the way to Saudi. Yes. Working. That do?" He laughed again, delighted to have been entrusted with meeting her when Jack had been unable to get away and Ianto was still busy in the flat.

"Not really, but who cares. You're here and it really is great to see you. How long's it been? Three years?"

"Four. Have I changed much?" He had to lean in close to be heard over the station announcements and a Salvation Army choir singing carols.

"I didn't recognise you. You're not the cheeky little boy I remember."

"Hey, less of the cheeky! Ah, you bewitched me, Tosh, and you're even more beautiful than I remember." He meant it. Since meeting her five years ago, he had had the biggest crush on her, entranced by her exotic looks and her quick wit, and had followed her around like a puppy whenever she would let him. Looking at her now, he didn't see the sadness lurking behind her eyes nor the small lines around them from hours of reading.

She thumped his arm. "Stop it. I know I look a mess."

"You do not," he protested. They had reached the taxi rank and joined the queue.

She shook her head, unwilling to argue with him. "Tell me about you. What are doing in school?"

They chatted throughout the journey. He liked showing off as much as his brother and made the most of this chance to shine, detailing his studies, football and basketball prowess and all the advantages of living in Texas. When they arrived in Pepys Street near the Tower of London, he gallantly handed her out of the taxi and paid the driver. Using British money was new to him but he liked the sound of pounds, shillings and pence even if he couldn't recognise the notes and coins.

Jack Harkness, Gray's elder brother, and Ianto Jones shared a mansion flat in a purpose built block. It was on the first floor and Gray wrestled the case away from Toshiko before finding the key to open the outer door. Unlocking the door to the flat, he called Ianto's name but there was no answer. Toshiko followed him in. She had visited on a number of occasions and knew the layout. The hall was L-shaped and the front door was the top of the long side. On the left was the living room which ran the whole width of the flat and looked out onto the street. In front of her was the kitchen, a small room which caught the morning sun. The boys had squeezed a table and two stools into the corner under the window and ate breakfast there. Moving into the short side of the 'L', which ran to the right, next to the kitchen was the bathroom. In front of her was the larger of the two bedrooms. The other one was on the right and this was where she would be spending the night.

"He must have popped out, said he might. I'll put your case in the bedroom," said Gray, easing past her. "You're in his room." He was unaware of the true nature of Jack and Ianto's relationship, at the specific request of his parents. He would be told when he was a bit older.

"Thanks." Toshiko had put down her heavy shoulder bag preparatory to taking off her coat when the front door opened. "Ianto, hello."

Now twenty two Ianto was tall, dark and handsome. Most people took him for older than his years, an impression created by his liking for formal clothes and a reserved manner, but right now he could be mistaken for a teenager. He leant against the doorjamb, a bunch of flowers in one hand and a shopping bag in the other. In jeans and a Guernsey jumper he was obviously 'off duty'.

"Blow, I thought I'd beat you back!" he said, disappointed. "Needed some milk and was going to put these in your room." He held up the bronze chrysanthemums.

"They're lovely. Shall I take them?"

"May as well. Stick them in the kitchen for now." He shut the door. When she returned, they hugged briefly. "It's good to see you. Gray met you all right?"

"I sure did." The boy was back, grinning from ear to ear. "She didn't recognise me."

"You have changed a lot!" Toshiko smiled and finally removed her coat, handing it to Ianto.

He took it automatically, taking in her baggy jeans and shapeless sweater. With her hair scrunched to one side and wearing no makeup she looked nothing like the smart, confident young woman she had once been. She had seriously let herself go in the past eighteen months. It was such a shame. Ianto wanted to shake her, to tell her that life had a lot more to offer than his two-timing cousin, Owen Harper. Not that Owen could help falling in love with someone else, Ianto knew how that happened all too well. A Christmas card received that morning had reminded him of Lisa Hallett and the love they had once shared.

"Hang mine up too," said Gray, oblivious of his host's introspection. He held out his jacket. "Any chance of a coffee?"

"I'll make some in a minute. You two go and sit down. Unless you want to freshen up, Tosh."

"I'm all right for now." She went into the living room aware of everything Ianto was thinking about her. It was amazing he managed to keep his relationship with Jack secret, he was so easy to read.

-ooOoo-

When his boss came into the room, Jack was putting the final touches to his written report. He had been due to leave at midday but a last minute emergency had delayed him. Jack wouldn't normally have minded but he had made plans to meet Toshiko and to spend the evening with his parents. Containing a Hoix was exciting but he would never enjoy the consequent paperwork which had kept him at his desk for the past half an hour. He should have taken the whole day off like Ianto then he wouldn't still be here at four o'clock on 22 December.

"Ah, Harkness, glad I caught you." Harold Messiter, Head of Section Four, was ex-military and always bustling around finding work for his operatives. He didn't like to see anyone twiddling their thumbs. "Am I right in thinking you're off to Cardiff for the holiday?"

"Yes, sir." _If __I __ever __get __away __from __here_, he thought. He got on reasonably well with Messiter but had soon realised the man had no life outside Torchwood and didn't think others should either. Jack didn't want to work twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. However much he liked his job it had to take second place to the rest of his life.

"Good. Drop this in to the boys in Cardiff for me. Rather not trust it to the delivery service." He held out a metal container, roughly the size of a shoebox.

"Sure. Do I need to know what's in it?" Torchwood dealt with all sorts and the container could hold a harmless artefact, a bomb or an alien lifeform.

"No. Just an artefact to be returned but a valuable one. Keep it safe. When are you back in?"

"The second." Christmas Day fell on Monday this year and Jack was using up leave to make a long break. He would not be back until after the New Year. Luckily Torchwood London was fully staffed and no one else wanted the time; one advantage of not having people with families working there.

"Make the most of it, it'll be all go next year now the new Director is in place. Merry Christmas."

"Thanks. Merry Christmas to you too." Jack smiled until Messiter left the room then groaned.

"Don't worry, Jack, he's just trying tae look good for the new boss." Stuart 'Mac' McGregor had been an operative for three years and partnered Jack on his field missions. A Scot, he was working over Christmas and returning home for New Year and the Hogmanay celebrations in his native Edinburgh. "Noo' get off with you, before he comes back wi' something else for you tae do."

"Good advice, as always. Hope it's quiet for you." He grabbed his greatcoat and a leather briefcase for the container; he didn't want to be seen with it. "See you next year. Merry Christmas."

"Och, I'll no' be bothering wi' that! Have fun wi' the Welshies. I wanna a full report on this Hub of theirs. If they let you in."

"Yes, sir." Jack mock-saluted then headed for the door.

The Torchwood base in London was, like its Cardiff counterpart, situated in the Docks. No one knew why, even Ianto hadn't found anything in the archives, but it did provide good cover. Men and women coming and going from the anonymous brick building could be office workers or customers and the three floors underground were undetectable. Normally Jack and Ianto walked from Pepys Street but today, as he had expected to be picking up Toshiko, Jack had brought the car. Throwing the briefcase on the passenger seat, he started the engine and drove out of the car park. He still loved driving and wished he could do more, but not around the city. The Triumph 2000 performed best on long journeys and was big enough to take all the stuff Ianto considered necessary when leaving the flat, which included the kitchen sink. Jack smiled at the thought of his partner. They had over a week together, with no work. Among people who – mostly - accepted them as a couple, there would be no need to pretend for a while.

Traffic was fairly light. Most of the City workers had already taken off for the holiday and it was too early for the people heading in for shows or to see the lights in Oxford Street. Jack listened to the radio as he drove, singing along to The Beatles' _Hello, __Goodbye_ which had been in the charts last year. He pulled up in front of the rented garage as Long John Baldry started singing _Let __the __Heartaches __Begin_ which he thought particularly appropriate for Toshiko. He hoped she had moved on from Owen; she'd been a mess last time he saw her. Briefcase in hand, he locked the garage behind him and hummed the song as he walked round to the front of the building and took the stairs two at a time.

"Hi, y'all," he said, standing in the living room doorway.

The room was long with three windows on one side. A dining table and chairs and a wall unit were at one end near a side wall covered in photographs taken during Ianto and Jack's three year stay at Harvard and on holidays since. It was a colourful display which currently vied for attention with the Christmas cards strung up around the room. At the opposite end of the room, clustered round the gas fire, Ianto sat in a chair facing Toshiko and Gray on the couch. All the furniture had been donated by family members or bought second-hand, a mix of styles that merged together to create a look that suited the two men and which they hadn't changed when money became more plentiful. A huge painting of the New York skyline over the fireplace normally dominated the space but at the moment the large Christmas tree in the corner with its flashing lights drew all eyes; even though they were going away, Jack had insisted on the tree and the other decorations.

"Finally. I thought you were going to miss your parents." Ianto's gaze was checking his partner for injuries; operations were dangerous.

"Nope. Tosh, super to see you." Jack bent and hugged her. "What do you think of Gray?"

"He's grown. But I wish you'd told me about your parents being here. I could have gone straight to Cardiff."

"Was last minute. Right, Midget?" Jack sat on the arm of Ianto's chair, an arm resting casually around the Welshman's shoulders. He made no overt loving gestures. When he had come out to his parents they had accepted it well but asked the pair of them not to be too obvious around Gray.

"Yeah." He pulled a face. "I'm missing all the parties."

"But you had Thanksgiving," pointed out Ianto. "That's more important."

"Suppose. I could always stay with you …"

"Oh no you can't!" Jack protested. "You're going to Saudi with Mom and Pop. No arguments."

"You're no fun."

"It's only for a week. You'll be back in Galveston before you know it," said Ianto. He turned to Toshiko. "Franklin's going to be looking for new oil deposits in Saudi Arabia next year. This a quick introduction to the team he'll be working with and to check out the living arrangements."

"Are you going to be living out there?" she asked Gray.

"Nope. Mom and me'll stay in Texas. Pop's only contracted for four months anyway."

"They decided to break their journey here so we could catch up," added Jack. "They're coming round for a meal."

"Which I'd better be thinking about." Ianto stood up. "Want to help, Tosh?"

"Umm. What are we having?"

"Spag bol. I can't do much else, not in bulk anyway."

The two of them went into the kitchen. Ianto made a lot of noise getting pots and pans out of the cupboard without saying a word. Toshiko watched him warily. Normally he was very controlled and even-tempered but now he was out of sorts. "You okay?" she asked.

He put the package of spaghetti on the top and sighed. After a quick glance to the living room to check the door was closed – it usually was to keep the heat in – he said, "Jack was shunted off to boarding schools for most of his schooling and yet Gray's never been away from Eleanor. It's not fair."

"They did have a lot of problems before Gray came along." She had been told of the miscarriages and babies who had died young.

"Which should have made them value both sons, not just Gray." He smiled wryly. "Ignore me, Tosh. It's just one of my hobbyhorses. I'll get off my soapbox now."

They had the mince and sauce simmering when Franklin and Eleanor Harkness arrived. After a flurry of greetings, Toshiko helped Ianto serve the food and they all gathered round the table for a lively meal. With a couple of bottles of good red wine supplied by Mr Harkness, the evening went with a swing. Later, Toshiko sat on the floor by the fire watching as small gifts were exchanged. None of them had expected to meet so their main presents had already been sent by post. Those today were extras. Ianto was delighted with the pepper mill and Jack had to be pried away from his copy of Philip Dick's _Do __Android __Dream __of __Electric __Sheep_? Books went to Mr and Mrs Harkness too, with Gray receiving a cap with a Union Jack design. Toshiko was surprised when Gray produced a paper bag and offered it to her.

"Got this on the station for you," he said, colouring slightly. "Happy Christmas."

"Thanks, Gray. You shouldn't have. Oh, it's lovely." She pinned the snowman brooch on her jumper. She leant over to where he was sitting on the other side of the fire and kissed his cheek. He coloured some more.

Shortly before ten, the Harknesses prepared to leave. They were flying out of Heathrow early the next morning and wanted a good night's sleep. After more hugs and kisses they departed, Jack and Ianto walking down to the street to say their final goodbyes. Toshiko went into the kitchen and began washing up the stacked dirty dishes. She was smiling; the unexpected extra guests had taken her out of herself for a few hours, made her think of something other than work and her lonely personal life, though seeing the elegant Eleanor had made her feel frumpy.

"Hey, you're useful," joked Jack, "you can stay." He reached for a tea towel. "No, Ianto, there's no room in here. Go and put the living room straight."

"Banished from my own kitchen." Ianto smiled and went off.

"Sorry we didn't get the chance for a proper chat tonight," said Jack, drying a glass. "The folks only got the stopover at the last minute."

"We'll have plenty of time to talk. A whole week." She glanced at him. "I'm grateful you and Ianto are coming down. It would have been lonely without you."

"I think your whole life's pretty lonely right now." He went on drying the glasses, hoping she might open up. After the shock of Owen's defection to Katie Russell she had drawn in on herself and retreated to Cambridge and work.

"I'm missing the family, that's all," she retorted. Her parents, brother, grandfather and aunts had all returned to Japan for three months to visit ancestral sites. Toshiko had not been able to go with them because of her studies. She was surprised how much she missed them, especially her little brother.

"Sure. I know about that." He paused, wondering what to say next. "I'm glad we're staying with you anyway. Still have to use separate bedrooms when we stay with Ianto's mom!"

"About time you told her." She felt on firmer ground now they were talking about his relationship and not hers, or her lack thereof.

"I would, it's Ianto who won't. Still, he knows her better than I do."

"Gwen seems pleased we'll be around for the holiday even though she is working some of it."

"You know why she is, don't you? Got her out of going to stay with Rhys's parents." He grinned. "He insisted on going home and she did not want to go with him." They laughed, Gwen and Rhys's relationship was always a source of amusement for the friends.

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><p><em>And so the scene is set. More coming soon ...<em>


	2. Cardiff

_Thanks to everyone for such a great response to this story. I'm amazed at the number of reviews and alerts. Now, on with the action ..._

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><p><strong>Five Go Mad at Christmas<strong>

Chapter Two: Cardiff

As usual Ianto woke before the alarm. He reached out and turned it off, hating the raucous buzz, then settled back under the covers. The bedroom was chilly and would have been a lot colder if the winter had not been so mild and dry. The flat had partial central heating but it hadn't kicked in yet. With a grunt, Jack turned over and landed on top of Ianto, snuggling close. The added warmth was welcome, but not the draught from the gap between the blankets and the mattress. Ianto tugged on the covers until they came free and tucked them around them both before holding Jack.

He loved the feel of Jack in his arms and the smell of sandalwood drifting up from his smooth skin. The past couple of years had been more satisfying than he had dared to hope. They had studied hard, both graduating summa cum laude, and accepted jobs with Torchwood - in London not Cardiff – as this would keep Jack out of the Vietnam War. Of course, they couldn't tell family and friends. For them, Jack was working for the American diplomatic service and Ianto was a civil servant. The Torchwood archives were extensive and Ianto had gradually settled into the job. Being so far away from operations and any contact with aliens, he could forget Torchwood's real purpose. That was until Jack, originally a translator, had moved to operations a few months ago. The danger worried Ianto but Jack would never be happy stuck behind a desk. Away from work they spent their time exploring London and the English countryside and … dabbling. Ianto chuckled at the innocuous word. He couldn't remember why they had started calling their lovemaking that but it had stuck. And, he admitted, it suited them. As well as the physical act, there was a lot of fun and experimentation.

"What's funny?"

"Thought you were asleep."

"I am." Jack yawned and lifted his head. "Give us a kiss." Their lips met. "Sweet." He settled back across Ianto and closed his eyes.

"We have to get up soon." They were leaving early, intending to reach Cardiff before lunch. "And I think I heard Tosh a while ago."

"Okay." He yawned again but didn't move.

"I'm glad your folks were here last night. Helped Tosh, I think." Ianto was staring at the ceiling, concerned for his friend. "I thought she'd have got over Owen by now."

"Don't know what these women see in him. I mean," he yawned once more, "he's not exactly good looking."

"Probably want to change him. Fix him."

"Fat chance of that."

Ianto had been as surprised as Jack and Gwen when Owen had declared he loved Katie Russell, a fellow student doctor, and dumped Toshiko. That had been eighteen months ago and it was still dividing the gang of friends. They had not met as a group since. Gwen had been disgusted, immediately cutting off all contact with Owen. Jack had been angry on Toshiko's behalf and tried to persuade her to fight to get him back but she wouldn't. Toshiko had accepted the situation and buried herself in work, devastated but refusing to blame Owen. Ianto had tried to understand both sides. He had kept in touch with Owen, had met him and Katie and despite his initial antipathy had grown to like her. She was beautiful, kind, clever and obviously in love with Owen as he, also obviously, loved her. Even Jack had had to admit that when he'd finally been persuaded to meet them for a drink. The two couples had met occasionally since and a month ago Owen had announced his engagement to Katie. Ianto had still not told Toshiko or Gwen but knew he would have to before his mam found out and let the cat out of the bag.

"Time we were up." Jack sat up and ran a hand through his hair. "Unless there's time to –"

"No, there isn't."

"Never usually say no. My appeal fading already?" Jack bent down and gently kissed the side of Ianto's neck, finding the sensitive pulse point. He heard the Welshman's intake of breath and continued nuzzling the soft skin. His hand strayed over flat abs and on downwards.

"Ohh," groaned Ianto, arching his back. There wasn't time for this but Jack's touch was electric, sending pulses of need through his body. His breathing came in short gasps as Jack's lips moved slowly over chest and stomach following that tantalising hand.

"You're right. No time." Jack abruptly sat up and grinned down at Ianto. Leaving him wanting more was a favourite trick. If he'd timed this right, Ianto would be on edge all day and hungry for loving tonight.

"What? No! You bastard!"

"Shhh, Tosh's on the other side of the wall." He kissed Ianto then swung his legs out of the bed letting in more cold air. "You do breakfast while I wash and shave." He stood up and switched on the overhead light.

Lying abandoned in the throes of passion, Ianto glared at his lover who was still grinning. "Sometimes, Jack Harkness, I could happily murder you." He sighed. "Put something on." Jack loved walking around naked even if it was chilly.

"I was going to! I'm not totally incapable." He dragged on a dressing gown and bent to kiss Ianto again. "I am so looking forward to a whole week with you. We can stay in bed all day." He ran a caressing hand down the side of the Welshman's face.

"You'll get fat."

"The sex will keep me fit." Jack smirked and went out of the room whistling.

-ooOoo-

"That's done," said Gwen Cooper. She walked into the kitchen pushing the vacuum cleaner ahead of her. "What are you making?"

"Beef casserole. They'll be wanting something hot this evening," replied Mrs Jones. "This can go in the oven and not need any special attention."

"Anything else you want me to do?" Gwen had put the cleaner away and now stood looking out of the window. The hedge around the front of the house was still green but thin in patches, only the holly bush in one corner stood out glossy-leaved and red with berries.

"I think that's everything. How about a cup of tea?"

"I'll make it. You sit down."

Gwen smiled at the older woman. Since being widowed, Ianto's mother had slowly made a new life for herself. She now worked four afternoons a week in the grocer's, was on the committee of the Mothers' Union and had a student lodger during university term times. In addition to all this, she was looking after the Satos' home while they were in Japan, visiting two or three times a week to keep everything in order and deal with the mail that arrived. Today she and Gwen had come to make the final preparations for Toshiko and the boys' arrival. Food was in the larder and the fridge, beds were made up and everywhere was spotlessly clean. A Christmas tree stood in the living room with a few tasteful decorations and a huge jug full of holly.

It was going to be a good Christmas, thought Gwen, as she waited for the kettle to boil. With Toshiko, Jack and Ianto in town it would be like old times. They were going to the pantomime that night. The four of them and Rhys who was not going home until tomorrow, Christmas Eve. She smiled. He'd changed since coming to work in Cardiff two years ago, losing his slow country ways, yet had remained loving and loyal to her. They made a good couple and he was hinting at marriage. Gwen had ignored the hints so far. She was unsure about being tied down to one man although the Pill at least meant she needn't be lumbered with children until she wanted them. Much as she loved Rhys however, she was looking forward to a few days with Jack, Ianto and Toshiko. With just four of them, she could bond with Toshiko again, try and get her to open up finally. They were going to a rugby match on Boxing Day - Ianto had asked her to get tickets – and no doubt there would be other outings too. She was working some of the holiday and couldn't be with them all the time but they could spend some evenings together hanging out. It was going to be fun.

The two women were drinking tea and checking the list of tasks one last time when a car crunched over the gravel outside. "It's them," said Mrs Jones, looking out of the window. She felt the usual thrill of anticipation even though she saw her son more often now he was back in the UK. Every couple of months he came home for a weekend - sometimes with Jack, sometimes alone – and she had gone to London twice, shortly after they moved into the flat and for his last birthday.

"Good Lord, what have they got in the back?" Gwen was standing at the window and had seen the mound of baggage beside Toshiko.

"Ianto doesn't travel light," said Mrs Jones with a laugh. "Come on."

Stepping out of the car, Jack took a deep breath and stretched. The journey had been made easier and quicker by the bits of the new motorway that were open, in particular the Severn Bridge, but it was still a long drive. The smell of the sea confirmed he was back in Sully and that he was on holiday. He smiled as Gwen appeared at the front door and held out his arms to catch her as she ran towards him. He swung her round. "That's the kind of welcome I like," he said, kissing her soundly.

"It's been too long since you were down." Gwen stood back and looked him over. "Yep, just the same." He was handsome and assured and a very good friend. And she liked the way he still made her pulse race a bit faster.

"I never change."

He watched as she went off to hug Toshiko who had extricated herself from the car. How different the two were: Gwen, confident and outgoing; Toshiko diffident about everything other than her studies and withdrawn emotionally. Jack sighed and hoped Gwen would be able to help resurrect the old Toshiko.

Near the door Ianto was greeting his mother. They had last met in late October but it felt like longer. "How are you, Mam?"

"Very well. Good trip?"

"Fine. Other than Jack driving too fast."

"You're the one who couldn't wait to get home to his mom. Come here, Mrs J, my turn." Jack hugged her. Seeing his own family only once or twice a year, he had adopted this dignified woman as a surrogate.

In the next hour they unloaded the car and took everything inside. Jack took several trips to get the cases upstairs, mindful of Gwen's whispered warning. Mrs Jones had prepared three rooms – Toshiko's, Bunmei's and the guestroom – as Ianto had still not told his mother about them being together. Jack dutifully left the cases in the relevant rooms. Until Mrs Jones left he had to go along with things but resolved to talk to Ianto again; it was ridiculous to be so cautious with his own mother. Downstairs, Ianto and Gwen found room for the food he had not wanted to leave in the flat as well as the seasonal delicacies he considered essential. The larder and the fridge were full to bursting. Then they put gaily wrapped parcels under the tree and a stack of their cards on the side. After walking round the house to show Toshiko that everything was in order, Mrs Jones went through the few bills needing attention. When the travellers had freshened up, they all gathered in the dining room for lunch of Welsh rarebit made by Gwen and Toshiko.

"So it's Ianto and me for the shops and you girls staying here. That right?" asked Jack.

"Yep. We're going to doll ourselves up for tonight," said Gwen.

"Don't you think you're a bit old for the pantomime?" asked Mrs Jones.

"Never!" asserted Jack.

"Oh yes, you are," said Ianto quietly.

"Oh no, I'm not!"

"Oh yes, you are!" said Toshiko and Gwen together.

"Oh no, I'm not." Jack was grinning widely. "See, Mrs J, we're still kids at heart."

She laughed. "I can see that. Speaking of children, got a bit of news." She looked at Ianto. "You're going to be an uncle."

"What? Rhi's pregnant?" His sister had been going out with Johnny Davies, off and on, for the past couple of years.

"Found out yesterday. Due in June."

Ianto stared at her. "And you don't mind? I mean, she's not married." It didn't surprise him that Rhiannon had got herself pregnant, he was more surprised it hadn't happened earlier. He did not have a high opinion of his elder sister, her morals especially, and they remained estranged, meeting as little as possible. It was partly for that reason he and Jack were staying with Toshiko; a whole week with Rhiannon would have led to warfare.

"Don't be so old-fashioned, Ianto," said Toshiko. "Lots of unmarried girls are having babies. It's not the end of the world these days."

"Right," agreed Gwen.

"She'll be married by the time the baby comes. They're planning on the end of January," said Mrs Jones. She was determined not to judge her daughter. Plenty of Enid Jones's own friends had been in the family way when they went up the aisle, especially during the War. The only thing that had changed in the past twenty years was that people talked openly about it.

"Uncle Ianto. Sounds good," said Jack. Ianto could be surprisingly old-fashioned about some things which was odd considering their own relationship. "Give her and Johnny our congratulations." When Ianto said nothing, Jack kicked him under the table.

"Ow!" He scowled at Jack but got the message. "Yeah, do," he added eventually.

-ooOoo-

The boys left after lunch, keen to get to the shops before they shut for the holiday. Mrs Jones went with them leaving the girls to wash up and then get ready for their night out. Gwen chattered on about her job, Rhys, mutual friends, fashion, films and the various concerts she had attended, catching up on the three months since she had seen her friend. Toshiko listened and made appropriate noises in the right places. She had nothing to add herself. No nights out with friends. No shopping trips. And definitely no boyfriend. Just work, lots and lots of work. They went upstairs and Toshiko unpacked. Gwen sat at the dressing table and watched the things coming out of the case. Trousers, jumpers, shapeless tops and flat shoes all in brown and beige.

"Is that all you've got? Blimey, Tosh, what's happened to you?"

"No point dressing up."

"I can't believe this!" Gwen was on her feet, hands on hips. "Are you going to be like this forever? Are you going to let Owen do this to you?"

"Do what?"

"Force you into a shell. You want to be a martyr on the shrine of Owen bloody Harper for the rest of your life? Think he's mooching around like death warmed up?"

"Of course not. He has … Katie." A spasm of pain pierced her bruised heart anew. Katie. Her replacement. The woman Owen now loved.

"And you could have someone else too, if you got yourself together. He's not the only fish in the sea."

"He's the one I love."

Gwen's mouth closed and her righteous anger abated. "Oh, come here." She wrapped her arms round her friend then pulled back. "Christ, you're thin. Is that what all these jumpers are for? To cover up." She pulled at the jumper, trying to remove it, but Toshiko stepped away.

"Not very interested in food, that's all."

"Toshiko Sato, if you want to pine for Owen then go ahead. But I will not stand by and see you wasting away! You have to eat."

"I do! Now, can we talk about something else?" She grabbed a pile of tops and stuffed them into a drawer. "If it'll make you happy, look through the wardrobe and pick me out something to wear." Most of her clothes, particularly the dresses and skirts, had been left here.

"Complete makeover, Tosh, that's what you're having. Now, let's see what's in here." Gwen opened the wardrobe.

-ooOoo-

Cardiff was heaving with people rushing around getting their last minute presents and festive food. Ianto loved the hustle and bustle and stood in St Mary Street as the crowds swirled around him. He had presents for everyone already and there was enough food in the house to feed an army but he could not stay away from this final shopping opportunity before the three day shut down for the holiday. The street decorations and the festive displays in shop windows, the excited faces of the children and the carols all mingled together and gave him a warm glow.

"Oy, you're blocking the way!" A large woman holding three carrier bags shoved him from behind.

"Sorry." He moved aside. "Merry Christmas."

"Humph." She waddled off and was lost in the throng.

Ianto smiled, in too good a mood to get cross. Time he was about his business anyway, there was an extra present to buy for Jack before they met up again. He was whistling _Hark __the __Herald Angel__s __Sing_ as he threaded through the crowd.

The docks of Cardiff could not have been a greater contrast to the bright city centre. Jack drove slowly past warehouses black with the grime of coal dust, avoiding the greasy puddles and loose cobbles. He checked the directions once more and was relieved to see the chandler's shop on the corner where it was supposed to be. He parked nearby under an advertising hoarding. Entering the dimly-lit shop, he was assailed by the smell of paraffin, oiled ropes and candle wax; it was like something out of Dickens.

"Can I help you, sir?" A man stood behind the sturdy wooden counter. He was dressed in a brown jacket with a white apron across his middle but was young with hair worn down to his shirt collar.

Checking there was no one else in the shop, Jack smiled and said, "Sure. I need some Weevil repellent." He reached slowly into a pocket and withdrew his Torchwood ID.

The man nodded once and waited, head tilted to one side. His comms earpiece was well-hidden under the hair. After a couple of minutes he lifted the counter flap. "Through the door in the storeroom and down the stairs."

Jack was surprised to be let in so easily; Torchwood Three guarded their privacy and even Mr Sato who ran the place had not brought Jack or Ianto here. Jack walked through the crowded storeroom and found the door. It looked like wood but was heavy and gave a metallic ring when Jack caught it with the briefcase he was carrying. The metal stairs were brightly lit and led down in flights set at right angles within a square space. It was a long way down and he was a bit dizzy when he finally reached the bottom. A huge, round door stood ominously before him blocking further access. Jack stood, uncertain what to do next. He jumped when, with the sound of klaxons, the door rumbled and rolled to the left. Pulsing red lights shone from the other side of the door and blinded Jack for several moments. When his vision cleared, he saw the figure of a slim woman standing watching him.

"What do London want this time?"

"A delivery." He held up the briefcase.

"Let's have a look." She turned abruptly and Jack jogged forward to catch up before the large door could close again.

The vast space that was the Torchwood Three base amazed him. His forward momentum faltered as he looked up and up and up and still couldn't see the ceiling soaring high above. Metal walkways on three or more different levels ran round the oval space except on the gently curving wall that was buttressed to keep out the Bristol Channel. He had heard stories about this base – the Hub - from colleagues in London but only now did he believe them.

The woman who had greeted him stood halfway up some steps which led to a raised platform, looking down on him with a pitying expression. "When you're ready."

"Sorry, this is … pretty remarkable." He grinned up at her. She was tall and pretty, part-Indian from the dusky skin. Her dark hair was long and elaborately curled, held back by a wide band, and her jeans and polo-necked sweater clung to her body.

"Cold and damp actually. We'll use the office." She continued up the steps and her boots clanged over the metal platform past desks and piled equipment.

Jack hastened after her, throwing a quick glance at a red-haired woman bent over one of the desks under a Torchwood sign picked out in tiles on the wall. He peeked into a sunken area where a man in a white lab coat was dissecting something but did not linger as the woman who had greeted him was waiting at the open door to a glass-walled office.

"Claire, couple of coffees please."

"Okay." The redhead glanced up. "How do you like it?" she asked Jack. He caught the suggestive tone and grinned at her.

"Black and strong."

"Right." Claire moved away, swinging her hips.

"She'd eat you for breakfast," said the dark woman. "Take a seat. I'm Suzie, by the way, Suzie Costello."

"Jack Harkness." He put the briefcase on the desk and removed his greatcoat, hanging it on a metal coatrack.

"I know. Takahiro told me about you and your friend, Ianto Jones." She perched on the desk, one leg swinging. "I wanted to take a look at you."

"Hope I live up to expectations." He met her steady gaze.

"So far." She smiled. "So, what's this delivery?"

Feeling he had held his own in her test, he shrugged. "No idea. My boss asked me to bring it in, seeing as I was coming down here." He opened the briefcase and handed her the metal container.

Suzie set it down and opened the lid. "Ah. The singularity probe. Was hoping we'd get that back soon. Any joy with it?"

"No idea, I'm just the messenger boy." He peered at the odd thing in the box. "What is it?"

"That's what we all want to know. Oh, thanks, Claire." The red-haired woman appeared with a tray and two mugs of coffee. "We'll drink this then I'll give you the tour."

The milk bar was busy and Ianto had to share a table. He sipped coffee and stared out of the window trying not to listen to his neighbours' conversation. Jack was late, very late. The shops were closing and it was dark out. If they didn't get back to Sully soon they wouldn't have time to eat and get changed – Ianto had been looking forward to a leisurely bath - before going out again. He checked his watch once more. When he looked up, Jack was standing on the other side of the glass grinning. Ianto glared at him and got up.

"Where have you been?" he demanded once outside.

"The Hub. Ianto, everything we've ever been told about that place is true! It's enormous." Jack linked his arm through Ianto's and steered him along the pavement. "Suzie took me round, showed me everything."

"We were due to meet over an hour ago."

"I know. Sorry, love. I'll make it up to you."

"You'd better." They walked quickly to the car, Jack enthusing all the way over the Torchwood base and an artefact they'd just discovered.

* * *

><p><em>More will be posted on Christmas Eve ...<em>


	3. Pantomime

_Am posting today as I miscalculated and thought today was Christmas Eve. When will it get here! The friends go to see a pantomime ..._

* * *

><p><strong>Five Go Mad at Christmas<strong>

Chapter Three: Pantomime

The selection of 45s playing on the gramophone reflected the friends' varied tastes. The Beatles were well represented but so were the Kinks, Beach Boys, Bee Gees and Manfred Mann along with the occasional Cliff Richard and one-hit-wonders like Mary Hopkin and Marmalade. Among the three dozen or so records, one appeared to be played more often than any of the others and it was driving Ianto mad.

"Enough!" he yelled, grabbing the stylus and removing the needle from the record. "If I hear this once more I shall explode!" Even though he hated the record – Scaffold's _Lily the Pink_ – Ianto carefully replaced it in the paper sleeve.

"Like to see that." Jack was lazing in a chair, one leg over the arm, looking through the Christmas cards. "Exploding Ianto? Yep, that would sure be something."

"Are you ready?"

"Have been for ages. The girls are taking their time." Jack sighed, put the cards back on the table and stared up at the ceiling.

"But it's worth it," came from the door. Gwen ushered Toshiko into the room and stood to one side expectantly. "Don't you think?"

"Wow, Tosh, you look fab." Jack sprang up and went to her. "Give us a twirl."

"You've seen it before." Embarrassed at the attention, Toshiko nevertheless turned round obediently. Gwen had spent all afternoon working on her. From top to toe, nothing had been missed. Legs had been shaved, eyebrows plucked, toe- and fingernails cut, buffed and polished, hair washed, trimmed and set until finally she had dressed her in a black pencil skirt and bright pink blouse with a wide belt to accentuate her narrow waist.

"You look really elegant," added Ianto. "Much better than those old trousers and jumpers."

"Told you," said Gwen, pleased her hard work was appreciated.

"And you look great, as always, Gwen," put in Jack. She was wearing a long-sleeved mini-dress zipped up the front with geometric stripes in various shades of yellow, orange, pink and light green on either side. Her legs were encased in white lacy tights and white boots. A beehive hair-do and heavily mascaraed eyes completed the ensemble. Wearing police uniform all day, she liked bright colours for her personal wardrobe.

"You're not so bad yourself," she replied. Jack liked the new fashion in flared trousers and wore a pair of denim hipsters with a wide belt and buttoned fly teamed with a dark blue polo neck shirt and denim jacket. In contrast, Ianto was once again in a suit. It had narrow-legged trousers and a single-breasted jacket worn over a pink shirt and thin red tie. With his floppy haircut he looked like a young Paul McCartney.

"Now we've all admired ourselves, it's time we got moving," said Ianto. "Rhys will wonder where we are."

"Oh, he's used to waiting," said Gwen airily. She glanced at the clock. "But you're right, we don't to miss the start of the show. I'll get the coats."

"I've made sure the windows and back door are locked, Tosh. And I'll turn off the fire now. Anything else?"

She smiled. "No. Never have to worry about the practical things when you're around!"

"He's a treasure," said Jack, slapping him on the back. "Let me do that," he told Gwen, taking Toshiko's coat from her. "Arms out." He helped her on with the black wool coat then stuck out a crooked arm. "May I escort you to the car, ma'am?"

"Idiot!" Laughing, Toshiko took his arm and they led the way out.

"Well done, Gwen," said Ianto quietly. "I thought she'd never get out of those old clothes." He held the door for her.

"Didn't take much." She sighed and shook her head. "She's still in love with him, you know. After all he's put her through."

"We can't chose who we love."

"Tell me about it!" she said sadly.

They were at the front door and Ianto made sure it locked securely behind them. Climbing into the back of the car beside Gwen, he groaned when _Lily the Pink_ started playing on the radio. Jack grinned at him and began singing along, the girls joining in as the car moved off.

-ooOoo-

The New Theatre was packed. Families predominated in the front dozen rows of the stalls, the kids getting ready to shout encouragement to the hero and boo the villain. They all had bags of sweets and chatted excitedly raising the general noise level several decibels. Further back in the stalls, the audience became a mixture of families and adults including several groups of teenagers who slumped in their seats feigning indifference about the show to come. From their seats in the middle of the stalls, Gwen and her friends were not bothered about appearances and joined in the general air of excitement and expectation. It was Saturday night, Christmas was two days away and they were together for the first time in months, it was time to enjoy themselves.

Ianto looked down the row of seats and smiled. Toshiko, beside him, was smiling broadly and clutching the small box of chocolates Jack had bought her. She looked sophisticated and yet young at the same time and much happier than he'd seen her in months. On her other side was Jack, sitting between the two girls. At that moment his head was turned away, chatting to Gwen, and Ianto only had the back of his head to admire. It was a well-shaped head with neat ears barely visible under the long hair. He needed a haircut before they went back to work. Jack turned at that moment and met Ianto's gaze, raising an eyebrow in query.

"You need a haircut," said Ianto with a smile.

"You think?" He ran a hand through his wavy locks, letting the hair flow and batting his eyelashes. He smiled when Ianto swallowed hard; it was ridiculously easy to arouse the Welshman.

Not aware of the unspoken exchange, Toshiko said, "Don't cut it too short. A trim would do."

Gwen agreed. "You're right, Tosh. I hate blokes with short hair."

"You want to join in on this, Rhys?" asked Jack, glancing round Gwen to her boyfriend.

"Don't ask me!" His own hair was shorter and neater than Jack and Ianto's but still much longer than his parents would think appropriate. He expected plenty of comments about it - and his clothes - when he got home the following day. At one time that would have worried him and sent him scurrying to the barbers but after two years in Cardiff and under Gwen's guidance, he was more confident in his own choices. He moved his arm so it rested along the back of Gwen's seat.

"Show's starting," said Toshiko as the orchestra struck up the overture and the house lights began to dim.

All five of them enjoyed the pantomime but Toshiko got completely involved. She lost herself in the make-believe and sometimes surreal world of _Robinson Crusoe_, laughing uproariously at the slap-stick antics on stage and joining in the audience responses with the kids. She was flushed and excited at the interval when they hastened to the bar. Sipping a lager and listening to the others discuss the show, she wondered when she had last had so much fun and honestly couldn't remember. The last couple of weeks with Owen, before he finally admitted he loved Katie, had been strained. At the time she had put it down to the stress of their studies but now she knew otherwise; he had been trying to find a way to end their relationship. Looking down at her glass she saw the signet ring he had given her during the good times and wondered again why she still wore it. Was Gwen right? Was it time to forget about Owen and move on? Probably. The only difficulty was that she could not stop loving the Londoner that easily.

"Okay, Tosh?" asked Ianto.

"Umm. Just thinking." She smiled and took another drink. This was not the moment for introspection, she was here to have fun. "How do those actors manage to fall around the stage like that and not hurt themselves?"

"Padding and lots of it."

They laughed and Toshiko made an effort to join in the general conversation. Shortly before the second half of the show, she excused herself and went to the ladies. When she was washing her hands she became aware of a young woman beside her smiling in a friendly way.

"It's not easy but it can be done," said the blonde.

"I'm sorry?"

"Getting on with life after breaking up with a boyfriend. You need to get back out there."

Toshiko stared at her. Who was this woman? And how did she know Toshiko and Owen had broken up? It seemed the blonde woman knew what she was thinking. More importantly, what business was it of hers?

"Name's Mary and I just wanted to reassure you." With a bright smile, the woman walked off.

Quickly drying her hands, Toshiko hastened after Mary but couldn't see her in the crowd of people heading back into the auditorium. There wasn't time to search any further, but Toshiko scanned the audience as she took her seat. She couldn't see that blonde hair anywhere, perhaps she was up in the circle. Unsettled, the first ten minutes of the performance passed in a blur until a burst of laughter from Jack brought her attention back to the stage. Berating herself for missing the action, she put the strange woman out of her mind and concentrated as the actors got up to more and more ridiculous antics. The climax was so ludicrous, so funny and yet so moving at the same time that tears ran down her face ruining the makeup Gwen had so carefully applied. And then it was all over. The curtain came down and the audience clapped and cheered until, after several curtain calls, it was time to leave.

"What a fab show," said Jack, leaning back in the seat. Both aisles were blocked with people trying to get out and he had decided to wait a bit. "Haven't had so much fun since Ianto got his toe stuck in the bath tap."

"He what?" exclaimed Gwen. She was lighting a cigarette and almost dropped it in surprise.

"You had to tell them, didn't you, Jack?" Ianto rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"Ianto, what happened? Tell us."

He sighed heavily. "I was having a bath and inadvertently got my big toe stuck in the tap. No big deal."

"I had to rescue him," put in Jack. "Good job he hadn't locked the bathroom door or I'd have had to bust the door down too."

"How? How did you rescue him?" persisted Gwen.

"Not the way he wanted to!" Ianto glared at Jack. "Only wanted to amputate my toe!"

"That was only my first idea." Jack looked wounded.

"Your second wasn't much better!"

"It made a lot of sense to take the tap off."

"Not with the water at the mains still on it didn't! There would have been water everywhere."

"I'd have remembered. Anyway, you wouldn't let me. So there he was, naked and going all wrinkly in the bath water with his toe up the tap, when I spot the soap and decide to try some lubrication."

"And did it work?" asked Toshiko. She had repaired her makeup and was smiling at the image of Ianto stuck in the bath at Jack's mercies. There was probably a lot about that incident neither was telling.

"Eventually," said Ianto dryly. "I was frozen."

"You should have added more hot water," suggested Gwen. She was standing putting her coat on.

"One problem. Toe was up the hot tap," said Jack. He also stood – the crowd was thinning – and held out a hand to Toshiko. "But I managed to warm him up once I got him free." They had shagged on the floor of the bathroom, one of the many spontaneous shags they enjoyed whenever they could.

Seeing Ianto blush and look away, Gwen did not pursue the issue. Over the past two years she had had plenty of opportunity to see Jack and Ianto together and knew they were a couple. She would always be attracted to Jack but it would never be reciprocated. And so she said nothing and enjoyed the secret thrill she got when in his company. She and Rhys led the way out of the theatre, following the crowd into the dark and chilly night.

The two cars drove in convoy to Sully once Rhys had been persuaded to continue the evening with them. They arrived at the Sato house just after ten o'clock and settled in the living room with some wine and beers and a plate of sandwiches listening to records played low and with only two lamps and the gas fire to light the room. Talk focussed on their jobs and Toshiko's studies before going onto other issues. The student protests in America and the UK – against the Vietnam War and for civil rights – were unanimously supported while the Russian invasion of Czechoslovakia was roundly condemned. The assassinations of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jnr also came in for a lot of comment; all of them regretted the loss of the two men who had raised hopes for a better future.

"It's been quite a year," said Toshiko. She was sitting on a stool leaning against the wall beside the fire sipping red wine. "Girton did loads of fund raising for Biafra. Sponsored stunts galore. Raised a tidy sum."

"Good for them," said Ianto. He was lounging on the couch beside Jack, a bottle of beer in his hand. "Any marches down here against Vietnam? There were a couple of big ones in London."

"No," said Rhys. "Don't think people care about it that much. More concerned about their jobs."

"There was a rally in Bute Park," put in Gwen. She was sitting on Rhys's knee in one of the large armchairs. "There weren't any problems. The students just marched up and down a bit and made a few speeches."

"Bet you're glad you're out of the war." Toshiko looked across at Jack who sprawled half-on and half-off the couch. "Are you safe from the draft?"

"Yeah. Still feel like a shirker. Plenty of friends have gone over there. Some haven't come back."

Jack was sombre and Ianto put an arm round him. Dozens of their friends from Harvard had accepted the draft, some even volunteered for duty, and all of them who had returned had been changed for the worse. He was delighted Jack had been spared the ordeal but understood that his guilt was at least partly why he had joined Torchwood's Operations. He gently kissed Jack's temple and was not surprised when the American twisted and kissed him full on the mouth before lying with his head on Ianto's lap. Looking round, Ianto was pleased none of his friends were shocked or disapproving. Gwen smiled and snuggled into Rhys who was more interested in her than the boys. Toshiko smiled too but with regret, remembering kisses she had shared once upon a time.

A bit later, when another bottle of wine had been opened and everyone was mellow, Jack reached into his jacket, hooked over the back of the couch, and took out a silver cigarette case. He looked across at Gwen. "Tell me, WPC Cooper, you going to arrest me for smoking some weed?"

She eyed him. "Drugs are a blight on society and are rightly illegal. They cause brain damage and untold other woes whether it's pot or cocaine or heroin." There was silence as she continued to stare at him. "Bags I go first. I hate tasting other people's saliva."

He grinned. "You had me going there. What about you, Tosh? This is your house, is it okay with you?"

"I don't mind. Anyone want these sandwiches?" There were half a dozen left on the plate.

"Yes, please," said Rhys.

"Me too," agreed Jack. He had the cigarette case open and offered it to Gwen; three neatly rolled joints lay inside. When she had taken one, he snagged two of the sandwiches. "Be a pity to throw these away."

"His constant excuse for eating too much," commented Ianto. With an effort he stood up and stretched. "Time for a trip to the little boys' room."

"Mind your toes." Jack grinned up at him as the others laughed.

"Ha-ha, very funny."

-ooOoo-

In the end, Gwen and Rhys stayed the night. The party broke up around three in the morning and it seemed silly for them to make the drive back into Cardiff when there were beds available. Toshiko knocked softly on the door to Bunmei's room at seven thirty; Gwen was due on duty at nine. When there was no response, she pushed open the door and stepped warily inside. Gwen and Rhys were tangled together in the single bed, clothes abandoned on the floor. Shaking her friend awake, Toshiko hastened downstairs and made instant coffee and some toast.

"Ta, Tosh," said Gwen with a big yawn as she entered the room. She bit into the toast hungrily.

"You going to be all right to go to work?"

"Yeah. Done it before on no sleep at all!"

Toshiko served Rhys as he appeared, bleary eyed, unshaven and hungover. Ten minutes later, she waved as the pair drove off and then quietly closed the door. It was a pity Gwen had to work but at least it was the day shift and they'd be able to meet up in the evenings. After clearing up the kitchen, Toshiko went back upstairs and climbed into bed. There was no sound from the guest room. Lying back, hands behind her head Toshiko smiled remembering the previous night. It had done her good and she was looking forward to Christmas even though she missed her family who were so far away. These friends were a real tonic for a broken heart. Bringing her arms under the blankets, she snuggled down and soon drifted off to sleep.

Hunger drove Jack from the warm bed shortly before midday. He decided on a bowl of cornflakes with sliced banana and scoffed them down quickly. He rejected the instant coffee – Ianto would never drink it – and made two mugs of tea instead, carrying them upstairs carefully. By the time he had drawn back the curtains and clambered into bed he'd made enough noise to wake Ianto who blinked at him groggily.

"Tea." Jack held out the mug.

"Ummm."

Leaning back against the headboard, Jack sipped the hot drink. It was Christmas Eve and they had nothing to do before the evening get-together at the Coopers, a tradition going back years and which the Harkness family had joined in when they had lived in Cardiff. "Fancy a walk on the beach later?" he asked.

"Ummm."

"It would blow some cobwebs away while Tosh gets lunch sorted. You dressing up for the Coopers? Think I ought to wear my suit? Don't want be all dressed up if everyone else is in casual." He took another sip of the tea. "Want to see your mom before we get there? Pity she's going to the Davies' for lunch tomorrow, it'd have been nice to –"

"Will you shut up." Ianto sighed heavily. He had drunk too much and consequently slept heavily leaving him with a thick head and a scratchy throat.

"Feeling poorly?"

"Ummm."

"I know how to fix that." Jack finished the tea and put the mug on the side. With a wicked grin, he turned to Ianto and started kissing and licking his upper torso, paying particular attention to his nipples and other sensitive spots. "You taste good," he murmured.

Ianto managed to finish most of his tea before the waves of pleasure were too strong to resist. He fumbled the mug onto the floor and gave himself up to Jack's caresses, determined to make sure he was fully satisfied unlike the day before. The two men became engrossed in one another, shifting dominance between them, bringing each other to the brink and then backing away until Jack sucked off Ianto and allowed him to climax. His shout of pleasure rang around the room to be matched fifteen minutes later by Jack's own as Ianto came inside him. Afterwards they lay side-by-side, panting and sweating and grinning like maniacs.

"Poor Tosh, hope she was downstairs," said Ianto.

Jack rolled over, propped up on his elbows. "She'll have enjoyed it. Seeing as she's not getting any herself." He kissed Ianto's bruised lips. "Headache gone?"

"What headache?" He thrust his tongue into Jack's mouth in a demanding kiss. When they broke apart, he said, "And wear the suit tonight, it's the only reason you brought it."

-ooOoo-

"Isn't it always the way? All the food in the house but here we are eating omelettes."

"Hey, it's good. We can stuff ourselves tomorrow." Jack put another forkful in his mouth.

"There'll be a good spread tonight, I suppose," continued Toshiko. "Mrs Cooper always makes far too much. Remember Gwen complaining about having to eat the left-overs?"

"Vividly!"

The three of them sat around the kitchen table. It was three in the afternoon and they ate hungrily, enjoying the light meal. They had only been out of bed for an hour, time enough to wash and dress and get the food ready. If Toshiko had heard the boys' lovemaking, she said nothing about it.

"Let's leave the washing up and go for that walk," said Ianto, pushing away his plate. "It'll be dark if we leave it much longer."

The others agreed and when they had finished eating, they grabbed their coats and went out into the afternoon. There was a wind blowing off the sea but despite the date it was not cold. Winter had not arrived yet and Toshiko hoped it would stay away completely. She was not fond of snow and ice, finding it inconvenient when trying to get around. They walked down to the water's edge and watched ships passing up and down the Bristol Channel; trade did not stop for Christmas. Turning right, they strolled along where the sand was packed hard, content to enjoy the fresh air and the company in silence. A few other people were around, some walking dogs, and one or two excited children ran around chasing one another. They did not bother Jack, Ianto and Toshiko who stopped only to admire the view and pick up shells or pebbles that attracted their attention. As night fell, they headed back to the house and the washing up.

At six ten, Jack left the bedroom. He was wearing the same dark suit he had worn to Ianto's father's funeral but with a bright blue tie. He had gone back, despite Ianto's objections, to get the pager all Torchwood operatives were obliged to keep on them at all times. The Welshman wanted no reminders of work. Downstairs Jack met Toshiko in the hallway.

"Gosh, you look swell."

"Thanks. But you don't have to compliment me every time I wear something different." She smiled at him, running her hands down the front of her long velvet skirt. It was a deep purple worn with a white, mutton-sleeved blouse.

"I mean it. You remind of one of those old-time schoolmarms."

"Not sure that's a good thing, Jack."

"'Tis in my book."

"Are we ready then?" asked Ianto, appearing from the living room.

"Bit early, isn't it? It's not kicking off 'til six thirty. Let's have a drink first." He turned Ianto round and pushed him back into the living room.

"Just one. And a small one." Ianto went to the drinks trolley. "Whisky?"

"Yep."

"Tosh, what would you like?"

"Small whisky too, please. With some water."

When they all had drinks, Ianto raised his glass of sherry and said, "Merry Christmas."

* * *

><p><em>And a Merry Christmas to you, my faithful readers. Next chapter will come very soon ...<em>


	4. Unexpected Arrival

_I hope you all had a lovely time yesterday. It is early Boxing Day here and I am posting this now before I get distracted. Its is still Christmas Eve for the friends ..._

* * *

><p><strong>Five Go Mad at Christmas<strong>

Chapter Four: Unexpected Arrival

The Coopers' house was full of people. The drawing room had been cleared of some furniture and the rest pushed back against the walls leaving four chairs in one corner for those who wanted to sit down. The sideboard was a makeshift bar with bottles and glasses arrayed with military precision and presided over by Mr Cooper. Dishes with crisps, peanuts and other nibbles were set out in strategic places but the more substantial food was laid out in the kitchen. A whole gammon warm from the oven took pride of place with a large pork pie beside it. Salad, crusty bread and pickles and chutneys of all kinds covered the rest of the table. The cheese board and trifle were on the side waiting their turn.

Jack, carrying two plates laden with food, returned to the drawing room. "There. Should help you grow," he said as he passed one plate to Ianto.

"Great. What have you done with Tosh?" He juggled plate and glass but eventually had to put the latter down on the floor.

"She's talking to your mom. This ham is delicious. Have we got some for tomorrow?"

"Not as nice as this. And it's not for tomorrow. We won't get through the turkey as it is."

"You two all right?" asked Gwen. "I see you've found the food!" Her face was as flushed as the red wine in her hand. Wearing a black cat-suit with a green scarf tied round her waist she looked very different from the policewoman of barely two hours ago.

"We're fine," mumbled Jack round his mouthful of food. "Rhys get off okay?"

"Yeah. He rang just before all this kicked off. He's home with Barry and Brenda." She pulled a face and took a swig of wine. "Dutiful little boy going home to his mam."

"You're with yours," pointed out Ianto mildly. Gwen and Rhys appeared to have settled down as a couple but she still ran him down when he wasn't around. "What's the difference?"

Watching closely, chewing on another mouthful, Jack saw Gwen bridle at the accusation. She did not like criticism however mildly made. Swallowing, he said, "Your spell on Tosh is still working. No problems getting her into a skirt today."

She relaxed and gave Jack one of her best smiles. "And did you see her chatting to Cade? The guy who works with Dad. Maybe she's really moving on."

"Don't count your chickens," warned Ianto.

"It's a start. Now, I need another drink."

She twirled the empty glass and moved through the gathered people – neighbours and friends – to where her father stood. Fortified with another glass of wine, she circulated among the guests chatting freely. She knew everyone here and had a cheery word for them all. Most asked about Rhys and her smile became a bit fixed after explaining where he was for the umpteenth time and fending off enquiries about possible wedding dates. If anything was sure to make her stay single it was all these women pressing her to get married.

An hour later the friends were together again, standing in the hall waiting their turn to enter the crowded kitchen for more food. Their chat was interrupted by a buzzing noise. "What's that?" asked Gwen, looking round Jack. It appeared to be coming from behind him.

"My pager." He unclipped it from his belt and checked the message. "Can I use the phone? The one in the study?" He looked towards the closed door.

"Sure. If you can get in, we shoved all the unwanted furniture in there."

"I'll get the trifle," volunteered Toshiko as a gap appeared in the kitchen.

Gwen opened the study door and put on the light. Chairs had been stacked in here creating an obstacle course to the desk. "You'll never get there. Use the phone in the hall."

"No, this'll be fine. Thanks, Gwen." He skilfully manoeuvred her out of the room and closed the door.

"Huh. What's it all about, Ianto? You'd think World War Three had broken out the way he's acting."

"They wouldn't have called him unless it was important." Ianto moved with her to the bottom of the stairs, standing to one side as a guest passed down the hall. He was wondering just why Jack had been called. Torchwood London was fully manned and didn't need to bring staff back from holiday for ordinary events. It had to be something major and that worried Ianto, worried him a lot. This was supposed to be their time together away from the stresses of work.

"Ianto, love, can you take these to Mr Cooper for me?" Mrs Jones stood in the kitchen doorway, two bottles in her hands. "I'll bring the extra ice." She was flushed and happy to be useful.

"Of course, Mam." He took the bottles and went to the drawing room. Mr Cooper delayed him until a tray of empty glasses was ready and then, loaded up, he returned to the kitchen. When he was finally free, he rejoined Gwen and Toshiko who were eating trifle.

"Here's yours," said Toshiko handing him the glass dish and a spoon.

"Thanks. I thought Jack would be finished by now." He looked down the hall to the closed study door and missed the exchange of glances between the girls.

Toshiko spoke up. "He's gone. Something important at work, he said. Grabbed his coat and rushed off."

"Maybe it is World War Three after all," said Gwen. "I didn't mean it," she added hastily when she saw Ianto's horrified expression. "He's a translator, maybe they need him for that." Her voice trailed off.

Recovering quickly, Ianto smiled and took some trifle, using the few seconds it took to eat to regain his equilibrium. "I'm just annoyed he took off like that. He could have waited and told me himself." _But of course he couldn't,_ thought Ianto, _because I'm the only who would quiz him about where and why he's really gone. _He amended that thought; _I'd have demanded to know what had happened_.

"He's taken the car. I'll drive you home." Gwen had passed her driving test second time and liked pootling around the city more than she had expected.

Eyeing the glass in Gwen's hand, Toshiko looked sceptical. "If you're fit to drive. You've been knocking back the wine quite a bit. I should have brought the Rover, Dad left it for me." She too had passed her test, first time, and often drove the family car.

"Maybe Jack will be back. Did he say how long he would be?" asked Ianto. He tried to make it a throw-away question but the others were not fooled.

"Said not to wait for him. I guess we could always get a taxi."

"On Christmas Eve? You'll be lucky! No, I can drive you," said Gwen.

-ooOoo-

"How long are you going to sit up?" asked Toshiko. She was in one of the large armchairs, legs curled beneath her and toes tucked under her fleecy dressing gown.

"A bit longer."

"You said that an hour ago."

Rousing himself, Ianto glanced at the clock. Nearly one o'clock in the morning and no word from Jack. "I know."

They had left the Coopers' house just after ten, driven by Mr Cooper who also did not think his daughter sober enough to be in control of a moving vehicle. Since then they had waited. And waited. Deciding to use the time productively, Toshiko prepared vegetables for the meal tomorrow. As she peeled potatoes, carrots, swede and the ubiquitous Brussels sprouts she wondered about Ianto's reaction. He appeared to believe something dreadful had happened on little or no evidence. When, chores complete, she had asked him about it, he had been evasive which merely made her more suspicious. Jack worked for the American Embassy, she knew that, and understood that emergencies could happen any time. But for the life of her she couldn't imagine anything that would necessitate calling back Jack who was miles away in Cardiff. She and Ianto had checked the television news for clues. The broadcast was full of reports about Apollo 8's successful orbits of the moon, including a live transmission from the spacecraft, all of which Ianto watched with unusual interest. How could something happening hundreds of thousands of miles away from Earth have anything to do with Jack? Giving up, Toshiko had gone upstairs and changed into her nightdress and dressing gown, prepared to wait up with Ianto for as long as it took.

Another half an hour passed, mainly in silence. Then the distinct sound of a car drawing up outside and a car door opening and closing sent Ianto hurrying into the hall. Jack had just put the key in the door when Ianto opened it. "Where have you been? What's happened?" he demanded.

"Quite a lot." He looked over Ianto's shoulder to Toshiko hovering in the background. "But I need to talk to Tosh first." Jack eased past Ianto and took both Toshiko's hands in his. "I need to ask you a very, very big favour. You can say no if you want, that'll be okay."

"What is it?" she queried, alarmed by his intensity. This was a very serious Jack, one she had rarely seen before.

"Owen's outside in the car." He felt her start and begin to pull away so he held onto her tighter. "Katie died today and Owen's in no state to be on his own. Can he stay here? If not, I'll find somewhere else to take him."

Ianto's mouth fell open; he had not expected this. Quietly he opened the front door and slipped out to the car. Toshiko shook from head to toe and her knees gave way. Jack supported her as she dropped to sit on the stairs. He released her hands and rubbed her shoulder and back instead.

"I know it's a lot to ask, Tosh, but I think Owen'll be better with friends around him. He let you down, treated you abominably, but if you still care for him even a little bit I hope you'll agree."

"You're a bastard, Jack Harkness." She sniffed and wiped at her wet eyes. "Where can you take him on Christmas Eve? No, Christmas morning. I don't have a choice."

"Sure you do. I can take him back to London and the flat but I'm guessing Ianto will want to come with me so …"

"So it's have Owen here or be on my own, is that it?" She glared at him. "Like I said, Jack, you're a bastard. Put him in Bunmei's room and keep him there. I don't want to see him." She stood and turned in one graceful movement and climbed the stairs.

"Thank you," he called after her. He stood for several minutes until after the bedroom door had closed. She was right, he had manipulated her and despite knowing it was wrong he would do the same again. Was this what working for Torchwood did to people? With a sigh, he went back outside.

The car's interior was still warm from the long drive from London. Ianto crouched at the open back door and checked over his cousin. Owen was lying on his side, curled into a foetal position covered with a blanket. At first Ianto had assumed he was asleep but he was too deeply under for that, he had to be drugged. Even so his features were drawn and he appeared to have aged.

"She said he could stay."

Ianto looked up at Jack. "You must have talked fast. What's going on here, Jack? Why are you involved? Is it Torchwood?" They were alone in the early hours of Christmas morning but he still whispered.

"Yeah. It was us looking after him or the cells. Look, I'll tell you all about it – I have to tell you all about it – but let's get him inside first. There's a bag in the boot. Grab that while I get Owen." He rested a hand on Ianto's shoulder and smiled encouragingly.

Acknowledging the seriousness of the situation, Ianto asked nothing more. He nodded once and stood up, found the packed holdall in the boot and then waited as Jack manoeuvred Owen into his arms and carried him into the house. Following behind, he locked the car and then the front door. Leaving the downstairs lights on – he assumed Jack would want something to eat and drink – he went upstairs and helped put Owen on the bed. He lay unmoving. Quickly, they stripped him of his clothes and got him under the covers.

"He'll be out of it for hours yet. They gave him a heck of sedative," said Jack. He ran his hands through his hair and looked very tired himself.

"You want something to eat? A drink? You obviously need some sleep." Ianto was desperate to know what had happened but Jack's welfare came first.

"I'd love a coffee. And maybe a sandwich." He reached out and pulled Ianto into a hug, resting his head on the Welshman's shoulder.

They stayed holding one another for a few minutes until Ianto gently disentangled himself. "Get into bed and I'll bring it up. Won't be a tick."

"Okay."

Coming back upstairs with a tray, Ianto paused on the landing. A sliver of light shone from under Toshiko's door. Setting down the tray, he knocked gently. "Tosh, can I have a word?"

The pause was so long he had decided she was not going to reply when she said, "Come in, Ianto."

Pushing open the door, he saw her sitting up in bed, knees against her chest. She looked miserable. "I'm sorry, Tosh. I don't know what's going on, not yet, but I'm really grateful. Owen's my cousin and I –"

"I'm not doing this out of the kindness of my heart," she snapped. "Jack blackmailed me so save your fancy speeches."

He was taken aback and searched for something, anything, to say. There was nothing. "I'll – ah – say goodnight then." He edged out of the room.

Before he closed the door, Toshiko asked, "He's here?"

"Yes. Goodnight."

"'Night."

Tray in hand, Ianto went into the guestroom. Jack had changed into pyjamas and was sitting on the edge of the bed, head in his hands. He looked round when Ianto entered and managed a weak smile. "It's a mess, love."

"Get into bed and eat this. Then we'll talk." When Jack was sitting in bed, tray on his lap making short work of the cheese and tomato sandwich, Ianto sat in the chair with a mug of coffee laced with brandy and listened without interruption to Jack's story.

"It was Mac paged me. This afternoon, no yesterday now, Katie was admitted to hospital for emergency surgery. They thought she had a brain haemorrhage but it wasn't. It was an alien parasite." Jack took a sip of his coffee. "Soon as it was exposed it let out some sort of gas and killed everyone in the operating theatre. Katie, the doctors, nurses, everyone. Owen had been waiting and somehow managed to get into the theatre and raise the alarm. He saw the parasite."

They both knew what this meant. Anyone who saw an alien had to be prevented from spreading the information. Usually misdirection and a cover story were sufficient but those that fought against this were taken into custody. If they saw sense after a while, they were released and monitored but others, the bolshie ones, could disappear into Torchwood's cells and never be seen again.

Jack continued. "Mac caught clean up and picked up on Owen's relationship to you. When Owen started raising a stink he called me. Between us we persuaded Messiter that Owen wasn't a risk and got him released into my - our - custody. We have to keep a 24 hour watch on him and … persuade him he didn't see what he saw. If anything leaks out, it'll be the cells."

Ianto finally spoke. "For him or us?"

Jack shrugged.

Ianto sighed heavily and finished his coffee. "You're right, it is a mess."

"Yeah. I'm sorry about Tosh but everyone thought it was better if Owen was far away from London. And it will be easier for us to keep an eye on him. I did think of your mom's but she'd ask too many questions."

"You think Tosh won't? Or Gwen?"

"We can manage them." He sounded confident but Ianto was not fooled.

"You did the right thing, Jack," reassured Ianto. "And thanks, you didn't have to. Owen's not related to you."

"He's my friend and your cousin. I wasn't going to let him be put in the cells." Jack knew he had put his future with Torchwood on the line. Nevertheless, he would do the same again. No doubt Suzie Costello had been alerted to the situation and told to watch them just in case.

Taking the tray, Ianto placed it on the dressing table. As he changed into pyjamas, he said, "What is this parasite?"

"Don't have all the gen but Mac said they'd been seen before. Not sure if they've got a name."

"I've not come across them in the archives."

"That place is huge. It'll take more than a year to know everything, even for you."

"Suppose." Ianto got into bed and put out the light. The two young men drew together in their accustomed position, Ianto's head on Jack's shoulder with an arm across his stomach. "You know, talking about all this and feeling just a bit sorry for ourselves, we're in danger to missing the main point."

"Which is?"

"Katie's dead."

-ooOoo-

Christmas had always been special for Toshiko. As a little girl, before Bunmei had come along, she had been indulged by her parents with small gifts hidden all over the house as a kind of scavenger hunt. As she grew older, there had been clues to be solved as well. The whole day had seemed to revolve around her and her wishes although, looking back, she realised there had been plenty of boundaries. The day had lost some of its sparkle when she became a teenager but the arrival of Bunmei had resurrected all the traditions with her helping to hide the gifts for him. Toshiko had known this Christmas would be different and had dreaded it until Jack and Ianto suggested they join her at Sully. As Ianto wanted to avoid his sister and Jack's family were abroad, it was an ideal arrangement for them all, especially as Gwen was nearby. They had planned a laid-back holiday with plenty of booze and food and lazing around.

And it had all been ruined.

By Owen Harper.

It was still dark as Toshiko lay in bed staring at the ceiling. It was barely six o'clock and she had got only a couple of hours sleep but she couldn't stay there any longer. Throwing back the covers, she got up and put on her warm dressing gown and slippers before opening the door. No one was about. She used the bathroom. At the top of the stairs she hesitated, looked at her brother's room where the door was ajar, and bit her lip. She had told Jack to keep Owen away from her but knew that would be impossible. They were bound to meet at some point, better that her first sight of him did not have witnesses. She crept to the room and gently pushed the door open. In the dimness – she had not put on any lights – she made out the body lying in the bed. The sound of regular breathing confirmed Owen was asleep. With infinite care, she went to the side of the bed.

He lay on his back, head tilted to one side. She leant in closer and could see how pale he was, much paler than normal, and frowning even in sleep. A hand stretched out to caress his cheek, to push back the hair that had fallen across his forehead and smooth away the frown. She stopped herself in time. Leaving the room quickly, she went downstairs and into the kitchen. She was a fool, a damned and utter fool. After all he had done, all the heartache he had caused her, she still wanted to help him. Where was her pride? Her self-respect? She couldn't just forgive him. Desperate for anything to take her mind off the man lying upstairs, she got out the good coffee and set up the machine. A decent cup of coffee and breakfast was called for.

An hour and a half later, Ianto found her standing at the kitchen window watching the sky gradually lighten. "Merry Christmas. Thought you were still in bed." He went to the coffee machine.

"I've been up for a while." She kept her back to him. "Looks like being dry again."

_When in doubt discuss the weather,_ thought Ianto pouring the strong coffee into a mug. "Good. We've been lucky this year."

"Yes."

He filled another mug and hoped Jack wouldn't barge in yet. His eye lit on the stove where a foil-encased turkey sat proudly and then on the various pots on the side. "You've done lunch."

"Might as well be useful." She finally turned to face him. "Still going to your mum's this morning?"

"Not sure. Someone needs to stay here with –" He broke off. She was obviously making an effort to keep everything normal; he didn't want to break the spell.

"With Owen. You can say his name." She looked away then back at him. "I'll take you, if your mum won't mind me joining you."

"Of course she won't. Thanks, Tosh." He smiled, genuinely relieved. His mam had not said anything outright but he knew that she was disappointed he was not staying with her this year. It would have hurt her even more if he had not visited today. "You can keep the peace between me and Rhi."

"You two need to make it up. For your mother's sake if not your own."

"Every time I visit I think I will. I go with good intentions then when I see her …" He spread his hand and rolled his eyes. "We just rub each other up the wrong way."

"Might be worth another effort, with the baby on the way."

"Maybe." He was not going to be drawn into making promises. He'd tried too often and failed. "When were you thinking of lunch?"

"Two-ish? I can put the turkey in before we go and we'll be back in plenty of time for the veg."

"Sounds great. I'm looking forward to helping, never done a Christmas dinner with all the trimmings before."

She grinned, looking younger for a moment. "Nor me. We'll learn together."

"Ianto, where's the coffee? I'm dying of thirst here." Jack entered the room loudly and stopped abruptly when he saw Toshiko. "'Morning."

"'Morning, Jack." Her grin had gone, replaced by a look of grim determination.

He looked from her to Ianto, searching for clues, and caught the warning in the Welshman's eyes. _Tread carefully,_ it said. "Shall I make us some breakfast, seeing we're all up? I could do a full English."

"Not for me, thanks. I ate earlier." She had managed a piece of toast and the thought of a cooked breakfast made her nauseous. "I think I'll have a bath and get dressed." She moved to the door.

Jack moved quicker and opened it for her. "Happy Christmas, Tosh," he said softly as she passed him. She did not pause or reply, merely left the room. He let out a long breath. "Oh boy."

"You can't blame her, Jack. You've brought the person who broke her heart into the house and ruined her Christmas." He passed over the coffee mug.

"Have I ruined yours too?"

"No. Take more than that." Ianto leant forward and they kissed.

* * *

><p><em>Well that put the cat among the pigeons. How will Owen's arrival affect the friends? Find out in the next chapter, coming soon ...<em>


	5. Christmas Morning

_It's Christmas morning. Ianto is about to face his sister, Jack has to deal with a grieving Owen and Tosh is miserable. Can things get worse?_

* * *

><p><strong>Five Go Mad at Christmas<strong>

Chapter Five: Christmas morning

"Remember, don't spoil your mom's Christmas by saying anything about Owen. We'll tell her some other time."

"I know! I'll just say you were too drunk and insensible to visit her. She'll believe that." Ianto juggled the two carrier bags containing their presents for his mam and Rhiannon.

"Humph!" The car horn sounded from outside and Jack grimaced. "Tosh is getting impatient."

"Then I'd better be off. Good luck with Owen." He gave Jack a peck on the lips.

"Thanks. And try not to murder your sister."

"Now that's asking too much!"

Jack watched Ianto get into the car and waved as it drove out of the gates. Suddenly feeling abandoned, he went back to the kitchen for a fresh mug of coffee and snaffled a mince pie from the larder. The turkey was in the oven and delicious smells filled the room. He debated staying where he was but duty and friendship persuaded him to go upstairs.

Owen had moved. He was now on his side and breathing more lightly; he'd wake soon. Jack stood at the window and looked out over the bare winter garden to the grey Bristol Channel. Clouds scudded across the sky and occasionally the sun broke through to make patterns on the water. There wouldn't be snow this year but there might be rain before the day was out. Shuffling noises drew him back to the bed and he pulled up the only chair, a low one more suited to six-year-old Bunmei than six foot Jack. Owen's eyes fluttered and tried to open. Ten minutes later he finally managed to raise the heavy lids.

"Hey, Owen," said Jack quietly.

"Jack?" Owen attempted to sit up but it was too hard. He flopped onto his back and looked up at a ceiling covered with stick-on stars. "Where am I?"

"Sully. Tosh's house."

That got a reaction. "What!" Owen shot upright and looked round frantically. A moment later he groaned, put both hands to his pounding head and sank back. "Me head!"

"Here, take these." Jack held out a glass of water and a couple of tablets.

Owen took them automatically but stopped before swallowing them. Memory was returning. Jack had given him tablets before, it was the last thing he remembered, and he'd been knocked out for long enough to be brought to Wales. Why Wales? And why Tosh's house? Nothing made sense. "What are these?"

"Aspirin. Really. Take them, they'll help with the headache." Torchwood's super-duper sedatives left everyone with a headache but no one knew why.

Needing relief, Owen swallowed the pills. He lay still giving them time to work and memory began to return. Something bad had happened. Something incredibly, horribly bad. He wanted to know what it was but his brain refused to release the information. Instead, he had brief flashes of memory. A man, a Scotsman, restraining him. Waiting in a corridor. Waiting and waiting. A smell, a familiar hospital smell. Riding in an ambulance with bells ringing. Jack and the Scotsman holding him down, talking to him. Katie on the floor of the bedroom.

Katie.

With a blinding flash everything fell into place. Finding Katie on the floor of her flat when he'd arrived to take her shopping. Panic and phoning for the ambulance. The agonising wait and then the frantic ride through London's busy streets. Guy's Hospital where both he and Katie were student doctors on the wards. Being told she had had a brain haemorrhage and waiting outside the theatre as she underwent an emergency operation. Fear as he waited for news, alone in the corridor. Wondering if he should telephone anyone. Finally telephoning Ianto but getting no reply. There was no one else for either Owen or Katie, they were both alone in the world. More waiting. A flash and noise from the theatre. Entering cautiously and seeing Doctor Garrett on the floor, the rest of the surgical team around him. Katie on the table swathed until only the top of her head showed. A moving mass on her brain.

"No!" Owen shot up. "No, no, no!"

"It's all right. It's okay," said Jack grabbing Owen.

"No it's not!" Owen fought to get free, wrestling out of Jack's hold. "Katie's dead! Nothing will ever be all right ever again!"

"'Cos it won't. You're right."

"She's dead, Jack. Dead! My beautiful Katie is dead." The fight left Owen as great sobs convulsed him. He sank into Jack's comforting arms as grief overwhelmed him.

-ooOoo-

Enid Jones was in the kitchen. This was the first Christmas she had not been busy preparing lunch for her family and the room looked and smelt … wrong. Normally she'd have been preparing vegetables and basting the turkey but not this year. She had accepted the invitation to lunch with Mike and Maureen Davies because it was clear, even before news of the baby, that Rhiannon and Johnny were serious. The two families needed to get to know one another. Ianto had been invited too but Enid was not surprised when he'd decided to spend the day with his friends. At least he had come to Wales and she had the chance to see him.

"Merry Christmas, Mam."

"Happy Christmas, Mrs Jones."

"Come on in, both of you. Merry Christmas. Jack not with you?" She looked round Ianto and Toshiko.

"No. Had a bit too much last night." Ianto concentrated on putting the bags down so his mother would not catch him out in the lie. "He sends his love."

"This is from me, Mrs Jones," said Toshiko handing over a large poinsettia. "For letting me borrow Ianto this year. I'd have been all on my own without him and Jack." She kissed the older woman's cheek wishing it was true and it was just the three of them.

"Come here, Mam." He hugged her tight, avoiding the plant. "How was church?"

"It was a lovely service. Now, take your coats off." She put the plant on the kitchen table. "Put the presents in the front room, cariad, and I'll make some coffee and get some bits to eat."

Toshiko handed her coat to Ianto. "Can I help?"

Leaving the two women in the kitchen, Ianto hung up the coats and went into the front room. The decorations were in the usual places, only the tree was different, artificial rather than real. It stood between the sideboard and the window and he added his parcels to those nearby before warming his hands in front of the open fire. He looked up when the door opened expecting Toshiko or his mam but instead it was Rhiannon.

"Merry Christmas," he said to break the ice.

"Yeah, you too." She sat in an armchair.

"I hear congratulations are in order. Baby and a wedding."

"You trying to tell me they're in the wrong order?" She glared at him.

He closed his eyes for a moment. It had happened again, his good intentions gone out of the window in seconds. "No, Rhi, that's not what I meant. I'm happy for you. Really I am."

"Umm." She was obviously not convinced but didn't say so. "I love Johnny and we're both happy about the baby." Unconsciously, she rubbed her still-flat stomach. "Mam is too, and Johnny's parents."

"That's great. I'm sure Mam will make a great grandma."

"Well, I am the only one going to make her one. How's Jack?"

Ianto's hackles rose but he bit back the immediate retort. She still resented Jack being in his life and made it clear whenever either were around. While she had no proof they were homosexual she had convinced herself. "Hungover."

The awkward conversation was interrupted by Toshiko who entered the room carrying a tray with bowls of crisps, peanuts and Twiglets. "Hello, Rhiannon. Congratulations. You must be thrilled."

In the face of this obviously genuine remark, Rhiannon's face softened into a smile. "Yes, I am. Thanks. I'll clear a space for that."

Mrs Jones came in behind Toshiko, a plate of warm mince pies in her hand. "Coffee won't be long. Ianto, there's some sherry in the sideboard. Get it out. I think we should have one, seeing as it's Christmas."

-ooOoo-

Coming up the stairs, Jack heard the toilet flush and running water. He waited, tray in hand, for Owen to emerge. "Coffee and toast," he said unnecessarily.

"I'm not hungry." Owen walked back into his room where he sorted through his piled clothes and pulled on trousers and T-shirt. They were creased and smelt a bit but he had chosen them specially for his day out with Katie and he wanted to wear them again.

"Have the coffee at least." Jack put the tray down on the child's desk. "There's more clothes in the bag. I got a selection."

Owen looked up from putting on socks and stared at him. "You went to my gaff?"

"Yeah." Jack moved over to the window. A couple walked slowly up the beach, arm in arm. Were they genuine walkers or Torchwood operatives? Probably the latter.

"What the fuck's going on! You were there, at the hospital with that Scots bloke. Why!"

"You've got Ianto down as your next-of-kin and you needed someone. We decided to bring you down here, away from memories and –"

"I want to remember! You think I'm going to forget her, forget Katie!" Owen was on his feet and facing Jack angrily, hands formed into fists.

"Of course not. Sorry. You need time to come to terms with what's happened, that's all I meant. Time to grieve. And you need to be with friends. Unless you'd rather go to your mother's."

"Her? Don't even know where she is. She never met Katie." The fight went out of Owen and he sank onto the bed.

"Drink your coffee and try the toast." Jack held out the mug and plate relieved when Owen accepted them. He sat beside his friend. "I met Katie. She was a lovely girl."

"Yeah, yeah she was. Lovely."

Owen sniffed and his eyes watered. He forced himself not to cry again, he had embarrassed himself enough already. He sipped the coffee and took a bite of the toast. Both were tasteless but he continued eating and drinking until they were finished and he had his emotions under control once more.

"It was so sudden, Jack. She'd had a few headaches but neither of us thought it was serious. We laughed when she forgot things but now …. They were signs. I should have known. I'm a bleeding doctor!"

"So was she. She obviously didn't think it was serious either or she'd have done something about it."

Owen was on his feet again, pacing. "I should have made her!"

"Don't beat yourself up, Owen. You weren't to know."

The Londoner suddenly began banging his head against the wall by the door. Jack leapt up and pulled him back, his greater height and weight holding Owen as he fought. It was a battle of wills which ended when Owen went limp and eased away.

"Why her? Why my Katie?"

"I don't know. Why is anyone struck down? It's life, I guess." Jack shrugged and thrust his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

"Life?" Owen laughed mirthlessly. "She had a short life." He wandered over to the window and looked out. "What am I doing here?" So far, Jack had merely confirmed they were alone in the house.

"Like I said, you're with your friends."

Owen turned. "Is Tosh here? She can't be pleased," he went on when Jack nodded.

"Not her best Christmas present," Jack admitted with a wry smile. He explained where she and Ianto had gone and when they were expected back.

"I need to get out."

"You're staying put, Owen. You're not fit to be your own."

"I meant outside. I need some air."

"Okay, we'll go for a walk."

-ooOoo-

The presents had been opened and the paper tidied away. Ianto was happy with the V-neck jumper from his mother, aftershave from Rhiannon and bottle of whisky from Uncle Bryn and Aunt Nerys. His mam was happy too, but she always was no matter what she received. She and Toshiko were admiring the set of saucepans she had requested from him. Rhiannon had given her a patterned scarf and Jack had sent a large box of her favourite chocolates. Among other gifts were slippers, perfume and a glass vase.

"We've done very well," said Mrs Jones. She replaced the saucepan in the box. "Have another mince pie, Ianto."

"I will, in a minute."

"He doesn't want to spoil his lunch," said Toshiko with a laugh. "We have a turkey that's too big and more vegetables than we can eat."

"That's always the way. But there's plenty of time to eat it all up. You're both here for a whole week?"

"Yeah. Don't go back until a week tomorrow," said Ianto.

"And I'm not due back at college until a week after that." Toshiko was not sure whether she would stay at Sully on her own, accept Jack and Ianto's invitation to stay with them or go back to college.

"Lucky you. I'm back to work day after tomorrow," put in Rhiannon. She had relaxed a bit, helped by the presents all being what she wanted and could use, even Jack's gift of fancy liqueur chocolates.

"Still with the Council?" Toshiko asked, nibbling on a Twiglet.

"Rhi's doing well. She's a supervisor now," put in her mother.

"Well done. Will you be carrying on working after you're married?"

"For a few months, 'til the baby comes. Then I'll be a full-time mam." Rhiannon rubbed her stomach again.

"If she changes her mind she knows I'll look after the baby for her," said Mrs Jones. "It'll be so nice to have a baby in the family."

Talk moved on to babies and Ianto let it wash over him. The women seemed to know all about it, even Toshiko who he had never thought of as the motherly type. Gwen was more maternal in comparison and she had loudly stated she was not planning on having children anytime soon. As the clock struck midday, Ianto stirred and began to make noises about leaving. Half an hour later, he was standing by the Rover hugging his mother goodbye.

"Have a good time today," he said. "I'll ring you tomorrow and you can tell me all about it."

"You do that. Hope Jack's feeling better when you get home. Thank him for the chocolates for me." Her present for him was in a bag on the backseat of the car.

"I'll do better than that. I'll make him ring you himself!"

With more goodbyes, he got into the car and waved as they drove off. When they were out of sight, he sighed heavily. "Thank goodness that's over."

"Wasn't so bad, was it?" Toshiko had enjoyed herself and wasn't looking forward to going home.

"I suppose not. Just always feel on edge when Rhi's around."

"We should invite her over tomorrow."

"Rhi!"

"No, your mum!" Toshiko laughed. "She could help us with all the leftover turkey."

"Nice idea. Only one problem."

"Oh yeah. Owen." She stared out the windscreen and concentrated on driving. "We're not going to be able to keep him a secret," she said finally. "And your mum is his family. I don't see why she shouldn't come. If he doesn't like it he can do the other thing."

"That's very generous of you, Tosh, and I appreciate it. But let's see how things are when we get back before we make any plans."

"Always the sensible one, aren't you, Ianto Jones?"

"Someone has to be when Jack's around!"

-ooOoo-

The beach was busy with various couples and families taking a pre-prandial walk to build up their appetites. Jack looked at them curiously and tried to make out which were Torchwood. He thought the man sitting looking across the beach was one he had seen in the Cardiff base. A young blonde woman looked too fit to be a casual walker. Jack realised that was the problem with Torchwood; its operatives were all young and fit and stuck out in a crowd. He hastened to catch up with Owen who was striding out, head down and not looking to right or left. So far he had not mentioned the growth on Katie's brain but Jack was not sure if he had forgotten it or merely had too much else to focus on. Putting himself in Owen's shoes, Jack tried to think how he would feel if anything happened to Ianto and quickly pushed the thought away. He couldn't bear to think of his life without the Welshman. They spent almost all their days together, without him Jack would fall apart.

They continued walking, striding past the gardens which backed onto the strip of shingle and sand. Jack nodded to those they passed, responding to greetings of 'Happy Christmas' but Owen did not notice. He did, however, appear to have a destination in mind for he veered off the beach and onto a path zigzagging up an earthen bank. It led to a small parking area and beyond to a piece of paving that provided a viewing area out across the Channel. Avoiding the half dozen people gathered there already, Owen stood apart, hands in his jacket pockets looking out across the water.

"She liked the sea."

Jack just caught the unexpected words. "Yeah?"

"Was brought up near Clacton. Can I bury her there?"

"I … I suppose so. Wouldn't you like her somewhere closer?" Jack had met Katie only a few times and their conversation had not progressed to the personal but he recalled Ianto saying her parents were both dead. When he got back to the house, he'd call Mac who should have done the background check by now. He'd also find out if the body would be released or if Torchwood would want to keep it.

"It's just a body, not her. She's gone." Two years of medical studies, the last twelve months on the wards, had hardened Owen to the practicalities of death. "I should be making arrangements."

"Not on Christmas Day. Or tomorrow. The hospital will look after her until you've decided what to do."

Slowly turning his head, Owen stared at Jack. "You know a lot about it."

"They told me when I collected you. And you've been put on compassionate leave for at least a week."

"Blimey, hadn't even thought about work." His gaze returned to the far horizon. "Katie was on paediatrics. Loved it. Was good at it too, helping those mothers with sick kids suited her. She'd have been a great mum." His voice caught and he coughed to cover it up.

Deciding not to comment, Jack stood and kept an eye on the people walking by. He saw the couple from earlier, the ones he'd seen from the window, and decided they were definitely Torchwood.

The two men stood side by side for nearly quarter of an hour before Owen stirred. "I'm freezing my bollocks off. Let's go back."

"No argument from me."

Their return journey was taken at a slower pace, almost as if Owen did not want to arrive too soon. They strolled along the beach, less populated now as lunch time approached for almost everyone; only a few families had their meal in the evening. Jack checked his watch and hoped the turkey had not burnt in his absence. Toshiko had asked him to keep an eye on it but he had abandoned it in favour of this walk. Opening the back door into the utility room, he was pleased to smell only gently roasting meat and after toeing off his boots hastened through to the kitchen to check all was well.

"You're back," he said. Toshiko was at the stove basting the turkey. She had changed out of her skirt and blouse and was back in baggy trousers and jumper. "How was Mrs J?"

"Fine." She took a deep breath to slow her racing heart and glanced round. Slightly behind Jack stood Owen in stockinged feet taking off his jacket. "Hello, Owen."

"Tosh."

The ensuing awkward silence might have gone on indefinitely if Ianto had not breezed into the room. "There you are, I was looking for you. Owen … I'm so sorry."

"Yeah. I need a drink."

"Good idea." Jack rubbed his hands. "We all should have one, it is Christmas."

Owen snorted. "That's not why I need one!" He crossed the room, brushing past Ianto, and into the hall.

In a silent exchange, Jack asked Ianto to go after him while he went to stand by Toshiko. "I'm sorry, Tosh. I'll make sure he goes up to his room and stays there."

She shook her head. "It's all right. He can stay down here, eat with us I suppose. Just don't expect me to sympathise with him. I can't." Her hands shook as she fumbled replacing the foil over the bird.

He placed his hands over hers and held them for a moment before dealing with the foil. "You are a very special lady. Want this back in the oven?"

"No, it's done. Leave it on the side. Need to get the rest of the veg on now." Recovering from her momentary loss of control, she busied herself with pots and pans. "I'd like a drink. Rum and coke."

"Coming up." With a final pat on the shoulder, he left the room.

-ooOoo-

"I don't want to do that again in a hurry."

"Nor me. He okay?"

"Umm. He's halfway through the bottle already." Ianto sank in the chair opposite Jack. "I'll check on him in an hour or so."

They sat in silence remembering a cheerless lunch when Owen had eaten little but drunk a lot and Toshiko had said no more than a dozen words. Jack and Ianto had tried to lighten the mood but given up when their efforts were ignored. Masses of food had been left uneaten and they and Toshiko had cleared it away and washed up while Owen went upstairs with a bottle of whisky. Afterwards, she had gone for a walk refusing offers of company.

"Not the Christmas I expected," sighed Ianto. "I had such high hopes for it."

"Me too. Damn it, we haven't even opened our presents! Come on, let's do it now." Jack jumped up and went to the stack of parcels near the tree.

"We should wait for Tosh."

"I don't want to wait." Jack thrust out his lower lip.

"Stop it. Your face will get stuck like that."

"God forbid!" Throwing his hands up in mock-horror, Jack knelt beside Ianto's chair. "Better?" He grinned stupidly and raised a smile.

"Not much. Let me try kissing it better."

"That's bound to work." They kissed gently and then more passionately.

Outside the wind had got up carrying drizzle to wet anyone out in it. Standing at the water's edge, Toshiko stared at the choppy water. Tears ran gently down her face, tears for herself and for Owen. Despite her protestations to the contrary, her heart ached at seeing him again. She felt his pain and wanted to take it away, to hold him in her arms and smooth away the harsh lines of grief on his face. Back when they had been together, he had been like this after visiting his mother, all hard and uncaring, distanced from the rest of the world. She had always been able to coax him round and longed to try now. However, she could not forget the pain of being cast aside for another and that cancelled out her enduring love for him.

"He's not worth your tears."

Toshiko twirled round to see Mary, the blonde from the theatre. "You!"

"He didn't appreciate you. Threw you over for someone else. Don't cry for him now."

"Who are you?"

"Mary, and I want to be your friend." She smiled brightly.

* * *

><p><em>In the next chapter, Gwen learns about Owen and you can guess what her reaction will be<em>_! _


	6. Christmas Evening

_It's still Christmas Day and Gwen is about to get some unexpected news ..._

* * *

><p><strong>Five Go Mad at Christmas<strong>

Chapter Six: Christmas Evening

"I was about to come and look for you," said Ianto as Toshiko entered the kitchen. "Jack's demanding we open the presents and I wouldn't let him until you got back." He smiled at her.

"Thanks for waiting." She glanced at the clock. "I said I'd ring Gwen about now. She'll be back from work and they're not eating for another half an hour." The Coopers were eating late to accommodate Gwen.

"You do that while I get the cake and mince pies out. Another of Jack's demands! Cup of tea or do you want something stronger?" He was at the larder, reaching for the cake tins.

"Tea would be lovely." She made for the door but stopped before reaching it. Turning she asked, "Owen?"

"Upstairs. Passed out."

"Okay."

Taking the tins to the table, Ianto thought of his cousin. He had not been a pretty sight, sprawled on the bed dead drunk. Usually able to control his drinking, his current state reflected the depth of his grief. He needed help and Ianto resolved to give it. He could at least make sure the drinking did not become a habit. With slices of cake and mince pies on the tray with plates and napkins, Ianto put the kettle on to boil.

In the living room, Jack was confronted by a determined Toshiko. "I'm not asking your permission, Jack, I'm telling you. I'm going to tell her. She's my friend and right now I need her. If you expect me to put up with Owen then I need to talk to Gwen."

"You know what'll happen. She'll be round here shouting the odds before you've put the phone down."

"Not straight away. She won't duck out of Christmas dinner, not when her mother's gone to so much trouble. And her Auntie Mary is there, don't forget." Mr Cooper's sister was staying for a few days and had been at the Christmas Eve party.

"So we can expect her in a couple of hours." He rolled his eyes.

"Not necessarily. Anyway, would it be so bad?" Leaving the question hanging between them, Toshiko went into the hall. She was debating using the phone there or the one in the study when Ianto came through with the tray.

"Got through yet?" he asked.

"I'm just going to try her." She opened the living room door for him. "I'll be in the study."

Sitting behind the desk, strangely bare in her father's absence, she reached for the telephone. The exchange had recently been upgraded to subscriber trunk dialling obviating the need to speak to an operator. Toshiko was grateful as it made getting through quicker and easier. Waiting for the phone to be answered, she had no idea how she was going to tell Gwen about Owen. Blurt it out or lead up to it gradually? Neither seemed right but then again, talking about Christmas didn't seem right either.

"_Penarth 1065." _

"Gwen, it's Tosh."

"_Thought it would be you. Having a good day with the boys? I thought of you lot pigging out while I was breaking up fights and ferrying drunks to the station." _

"It wasn't a lot of fun, actually." She had created the opening but now hesitated about using it.

"_Why? What's happened, Tosh?"_ Even down the telephone line, Gwen could tell Toshiko was upset. _"What's Jack done?"_

Taking a deep breath, Toshiko said, "Owen's here."

"_He's what! The toerag! You mean he just showed up and expected to be –" _

"Katie's dead," Toshiko interrupted. "She died yesterday. That's where Jack went from your party. He collected Owen from London."

Gwen was speechless. Of all the possibilities, she had not imagined that one. One part of her knew she should care about the young woman – her own age from what she'd heard – dying unexpectedly but her compassion was eclipsed by the gall of Jack bringing Owen to Toshiko's house. How dare he! And what was Ianto doing in all this? Kowtowing to Jack by the sounds of it. No wonder Toshiko was upset.

"You there, Gwen?"

"_Yeah, I'm here. I don't know what to say. I am so mad at Jack! Look, I'm coming over. You shouldn't have to deal with this alone." _

"Don't be silly. It's Christmas, you've got to be with your family. They've not seen you all day. Besides, I'm all right."

"_You don't sound it." _Gwen paused, thinking quickly. _"But you're right, Mam would never forgive me if I missed dinner. I'll come over later, after we've eaten." _

"You shouldn't. I'd like to talk but we can do that on the phone. Or tomorrow."

"_I'm coming. I'll ring before I leave so you know when to expect me. But tell me more. How did she die? Car accident?" _

"No, brain haemorrhage or something. I didn't ask for details. Oh God, Gwen, lunch was awful."

She launched into details of the miserable meal and when she put the receiver down ten minutes later she felt a lot better. Telling Gwen had been cathartic and she looked forward to a longer chat face-to-face. Not that she would tell her everything that had happened today. Some things were too new and strange to be shared, at least for now. Nearing the living room she heard raised voices and stopped to listen. She wasn't really eavesdropping, she told herself, just giving the boys time to finish the argument.

"We have to, Jack. God, you're pig-headed sometimes! We can justify saying nothing today – we didn't want to spoil everyone's Christmas – but any longer looks suspicious."

"Another couple of days won't matter and it would give us time to find out if he –"

"No, Jack. I'm going to tell Mam. In fact, I'm going to do it now. She'll be back from the Davies's. And you can thank her for her present."

"How! Haven't opened it yet!"

"Well bloody do it now!" Toshiko shrank back as heavy footsteps neared the door and it was pulled open. "Phone free?" Ianto asked Toshiko brusquely.

"Yes."

Ianto in this mood was scary and she slipped past him and into the living room. Jack was by the tree picking up the gaily wrapped parcels and carelessly chucking them into three crude piles. He looked up as she went to the coffee table where the tea things stood.

"Yours are on the couch," snapped Jack.

"In that case be a bit more careful with them. If anything's broken you're paying for it!" She poured some tea, still warm under the colourful cosy, and added milk.

"Oh fuck!" Jack ran a hand through his hair and closed his eyes. Now they were all shouting at one another. How had Christmas degenerated into this? He abandoned the parcels and sat on the floor, head in his hands. "I'm sorry," he said without looking up.

"Me too. Guess we're all on edge." She patted his shoulder on her way to the couch, took a sip of tea then put her parcels in a neat pile.

In the silence, Ianto's laugh could be heard. Talking to his mother was clearly helping his mood. Slowly, Jack went back to the parcels. He passed Toshiko two more, put another on Ianto's pile and then found the one he had been looking for – his own from Mrs Jones. He tore the paper off and uncovered Frank Zappa's LP_ Cruising with Ruben and the Jets_. It had not been out long and Mrs Jones must have made a considerable effort to get it for him. He walked out into the hall.

"… pick you up around eleven then," Ianto was saying. He glanced at Jack then at the LP and smiled while still listening to his mother. "No, Mam, you don't need to bring anything other than yourself. That's the whole point of you coming, to eat some of our food! And to see Owen, yes, of course. Jack's here, he wants to talk to you."

Taking the receiver, Jack said, "Merry Christmas, Mrs J. Thanks for the record, it's just what I wanted. Glad you liked them. Oh, he told you did he? Yeah, it's tragic. I don't know what state he'll be in but I'm sure he'll be better for seeing you. Tomorrow, that's right. We'll see you then. Want to talk to Ianto again?" He handed over the receiver.

"Have a lovely evening, Mam. See you tomorrow." He replaced the receiver.

"Cat's well and truly out of the bag now," said Jack ruefully.

"It had to be. She's concerned for Owen but as she didn't meet Katie she's not devastated. Come on, let's have some tea." He stretched out a hand and was relieved when Jack took it. He didn't want their row to fester.

-ooOoo-

After the upsets of earlier, the next few hours passed tranquilly. The three friends opened their presents which included books, records, toiletries and sweets for them all. Jack was especially pleased with the transistor radio in the shape of a whisky bottle which Ianto had added at the last minute. Like most of the rest of the population, they then slumped in front of the television and caught up on the news, dominated by the successful – so far – Apollo 8 mission to the moon. The three astronauts were on their way back to Earth and were due to land in a couple of days. They kept the set on for a carol concert, singing along with the choirs, and for the film, _The Great Escape_. As the POWs began digging tunnels, Ianto could not bear the mess any longer and began collecting up the discarded wrapping paper and tidying the presents. After putting the tea things in the kitchen, he checked on Owen who was still out of it. Deciding he might feel ill when he woke, Ianto took the precaution of placing a plastic bucket by the side of the bed.

Back downstairs, he pottered round the kitchen sorting out the fridge – again!, there was far too much food – and making sandwiches of leftover turkey adding a liberal amount of Branston pickle. With crisps and peanuts also on the tray, he took it into the living room. Jack was laid out on the couch, eyes glued to the screen. In a chair, Toshiko was looking through the new Agatha Christie, a present from Bunmei, and only occasionally flicking a glance at the television where Steve McQueen was making his doomed attempt to escape the Nazis on a motor-cycle. The telephone rang.

"I'll get it," said Toshiko.

When she was out of the room, Jack groaned. "If that means Gwen's on her way, I need a drink." He looked up at Ianto. "Please?"

"What did your last servant die of?" Ianto edged towards the door and listened to Toshiko's side of the conversation. "Not Gwen."

"How can you tell?"

"She's speaking Japanese."

"Ah. And it was a surfeit of loving."

"What was?" Ianto was at the drinks trolley.

"What my last servant died of." Jack chuckled, pleased with himself.

"Very funny. What do you want to drink?" They both opted for vodka tonic and were sipping them when, ten minutes or so later, Toshiko returned.

"It was Mum and Dad. I spoke to them and Bunmei and Grandfather." She was flushed and excited. "They're having a fabulous time."

"Good. Let's turn this off and you can tell us all about it." The film had finished to be replaced by a variety show. "Drink?"

-ooOoo-

Rain had come at last to Cardiff ending a dry spell that had lasted an unprecedented three weeks. The roads were wet and Gwen drove carefully through the darkness. She had not been able to get away as early as she had wished and it was already gone ten o'clock. This hadn't deterred her from coming however. Her parents had been surprised she was going out so late, and had tried to change her mind, but when they heard that Owen was at Sully and why they dropped their objections. Her mother, always practical, urged her to stay over if possible and avoid another late night drive. She had packed an overnight case and this and Gwen's police uniform were on the back seat of the Hillman Imp which she and her mother shared.

Gwen used the time it took to get to Sully to go over yet again the little she knew. Toshiko's account had been pretty comprehensive all things considered; even upset, she knew the value of facts told coherently. Gwen wished all those she had to question were as considerate. What had come through loud and clear was Jack's thoughtlessness. To bring Owen, grieving from the loss of his new love, into the home of the woman he had dumped was cruel in the extreme. Gwen had a few choice words to say to Jack when she saw him! The side road where Toshiko lived was dark and deserted, only the lights from the houses showed there was life behind the closed doors and drawn curtains. Parking next to Jack's Triumph 2000, she decided to leave her bag in the car for now. At the back of her mind she thought it might be better for Toshiko to go home with her rather than the other way round.

The front door was opened by Toshiko. "Gwen, thanks for coming."

"No way I was going to stay out of this. You need support, Tosh." She hugged her, noticing the return to the unflattering clothes. "Where are they?"

"Owen's upstairs. Jack and Ianto are in here." She led the way into the living room. The atmosphere was charged. The boys were standing, facing the door braced for trouble. "Want a drink?" she asked.

"Not yet. Need a word with him first." Gwen placed herself in front of Jack. "What the fuck were you thinking! No, you weren't thinking at all, were you! Bringing … him here is obscene. Did you think about Tosh at all? Did you! No, of course you didn't because you're Jack Harkness and you never think of anyone other than yourself!"

"That is so unfair," began Ianto.

She turned on him, finger pointing at his chest. "And you're no better, Ianto Jones! You let him do it. Didn't stand up for Tosh at all. Just followed Jack like you always do, like a little puppy dog!"

"Hey!" protested Jack. "Leave him alone. And what gives you the right to come in here shouting your mouth off? You don't know what's been going or why."

"I do know! Tosh told me." She stepped closer until she was inches away from Jack. "And I have the right. I'm Tosh's friend which is more than I can say for you. Or you!" she shot at Ianto.

"Please stop," said Toshiko, trying to calm tempers.

"They need to hear a few home truths, Tosh. You shouldn't have to put up with this in your own home. Bringing that bastard Owen here was … was unforgivable!"

"Enough!" bellowed Ianto surprising them all. He physically pushed Gwen and Jack apart. "Owen is my cousin and I will not have you badmouthing him, Gwen Cooper. You haven't seen him for nearly two years and have no idea what he's going through. He - forgive me, Tosh - lost the love of his life yesterday and I for one am proud to help him." He put up a hand when it looked like Gwen would interrupt. "No, this is my turn. You cut him out of your life, Gwen, because he found he loved Katie more than Tosh. What was he supposed to do? Stay with Tosh even though he didn't love her any more? Would that have been fair to her? No, it wouldn't. Jack and I saw Owen and Katie together and I've never known two people more suited to one another. They were engaged, going to get married next year. Until yesterday … when she died and Owen's life collapsed around him. You talk of being here as Tosh's friend, well, Jack and I are Owen's friends and we're going to help him get through this whether you like it or not. We're sorry if having him here upsets Tosh but right now Owen's needs are more important."

In the stunned silence that followed this outburst, Jack looked at Ianto admiringly. His quiet demeanour lulled one into thinking of him as passive but he had as much passion as any of his countrymen. When he let it loose it was an impressive sight. "Well said."

Only slightly taken aback, Gwen marshalled her arguments again. "That's all very well but it –"

"He's right. My God, he's right." Toshiko looked from one to the other of her friends. "I've been such a fool."

"Tosh? You okay?"

"I kept thinking that if I waited long enough, was patient and loving, Owen would realise he'd made a mistake and come back to me. But he loved Katie, truly loved her. He loved her more than me."

"Tosh, I didn't mean to hurt you." Ianto, who was nearest, reached out and put an arm round her shoulders.

"How could opening my eyes hurt me? I could have gone the rest of my life wallowing in unrequited love for Owen. Feeling sorry for myself, having you all pity me. I'd have ended up a bitter old woman who had wasted her life. He doesn't love me. He loves Katie and was going to make a life with her. I have to make a life of my own." She smiled tremulously, eyes wet with tears. "Thank you for making me see that."

"Oh, Tosh." Ianto hugged her. At least some good had come out this tragedy if she was finally going to move on. "You are so brave and we all love you."

Jack eyed Gwen who finally met his gaze. "Pax?"

She nodded and smiled briefly. "Pax. Any chance of that drink?"

-ooOoo-

Sharing a few drinks and a spliff or two ensured an harmonious end to the evening. The four friends lazed around with records playing quietly in the background and gradually overcame any lingering hostility. Jack made a point of talking to Gwen, coaxing out tales of her day which had been filled with the mundane and the ridiculous to hear her tell it. After her epiphany, Toshiko's mood varied from quiet introspection to almost manic planning for a new life. Ianto let her talk, sure she would regain her normal balance in the morning when the more outlandish plans would be forgotten. At one o'clock they called it a night. Ianto and Gwen made up the bed in Mr and Mrs Sato's room, neither quite at ease with one another yet but wanting to be. They had known each other since infant school and one argument wasn't going to destroy their friendship. Leaving Gwen to get a few hours sleep, Ianto joined Jack in Owen's room.

"Still out of it?" The lamp was off but there was enough light coming through the open door to see well enough.

"Yeah. Guess a whole bottle of whisky and the wine at lunch knocked him out."

"Especially as he didn't eat much." Ianto walked to stand by Jack at the window. "What's so interesting?"

"Two things. Just look at the moon. It's hard to believe that men were circling it a few hours ago. Or that they're out there in that vast emptiness on their way home."

With an arm round Jack's waist, Ianto looked out. "Yesterday I thought you'd been called in because they'd found something on the dark side. Some kind of alien life." He spoke softly but Jack caught the suppressed laughter.

"A massive invasion force? You've been reading too much Asimov!"

"Reports! There's stuff in the archives that would turn your hair grey. And what about the ship on level three?" He shivered. "It gives me the willies every time I have to go down there."

"Really?" Jack turned and took Ianto in his arms. "Don't you think it would be neat if it worked? We could take it up for spin. Take a shufti at the moon for ourselves."

"That's where we differ. You want to be among the stars and I like my feet on the ground. What was the other thing."

"What other thing?"

"You said there were two interesting things you were looking at." He nodded towards the window and the gap in the curtains.

Jack grinned. "Oh yeah. There's a couple of guys out there who must be getting very cold and very wet. They're watching us. Maybe I should take them a mince pie."

"Ignore them and they'll go away." Moving away from Jack and back to the bed, Ianto looked down at Owen's sleeping form once more. "Does he remember?"

"No idea. He's not said anything yet. If he does, it'll probably surface tomorrow when he's over the first shock. One of us will have to be with him all the time and be ready to feed him the cover story."

"Which is?"

"The operation was too late to save Katie, she died on the operating table. Afterwards Doctor Garrett, the surgeon, and his team were called to attend an emergency in North London and were killed in a car crash. Loss of control on a sharp corner possibly due to tiredness."

"That the best they could do? It's a bit thin if Owen got a decent look at the parasite."

Jack shrugged. "Ours is but to do or die."

"Poor choice of words, Jack. A lot of other people's Christmases have been ruined by that alien thing." He was thinking of the families of the doctors and nurses. "Come on, we need some sleep."

"Umm. By the way, you were magnificent tonight. Really masterful. I like that." His leer suggested many possibilities.

"Get!" Ianto pointed to the door.

"Yes, sir!"

-ooOoo-

It was still dark when Toshiko woke. At first she thought it was the alarm, set to ensure Gwen made it into work on time, but it was too early for that. She lay still, listening. Something had woken her from a deep sleep and a lovely dream which was already fading. Her eyes were closing when she heard a noise from the bathroom next door. A heavy thud then silence. Had someone fallen? When there were no reassuring noises she got up to investigate.

The bathroom door was open and the light on. Inside a miserable heap was sitting on the tiled floor by the toilet. The sweet smell of vomit filled the room. Owen lifted his head and peered at her.

"I feel awful," he groaned. The movement of his head created another wave of nausea and he leant over the toilet bowl and retched. Nothing much came up this time, the little in his stomach had already made an ignominious exit.

Toshiko watched his dry heaves but her thoughts were elsewhere. Owen had been central to her life for five years, as a friend and later a boyfriend. He was the first man she had slept with and the only one – of a very small number – that she remembered with pleasure. She had loved him all that time even after he had moved on to someone else. Last night she had been positive about moving on herself, making a new life, and she was still resolved to do so. However, seeing him like this still made her heart flutter in the old familiar way; she was not over him yet. Perhaps she shouldn't be surprised but it made her hesitate now.

"Ugh." The heaves stopped and Owen slumped down again.

Overcoming her hesitation, Toshiko entered the room and opened the window. "Let's get you back to bed. Then I'll get some Alka-Seltzer for you."

"Umm." He allowed her to help him up only then realising he was naked and cupping a hand over his genitals. "Sorry."

"It's okay, Owen."

* * *

><p><em>Is Tosh too saintly? Gwen too angry? Let me know what you think. In the next chapter, we get to meet Mary again ...<em>


	7. Making Allies

_Happy New Year to you all! We rejoin the friends on Boxing Day (that's 26 December to non-Brits) ..._

* * *

><p><strong>Five Go Mad at Christmas<strong>

Chapter Seven: Making Allies

"I'll meet you at the ground, close to four as I can make it," said Gwen between mouthfuls of scrambled egg. "You've got the tickets?"

"Safe upstairs. Thanks for getting them." Ianto refilled her coffee mug.

"Should be a good game. Rhys was really peeved he wouldn't get to see it." She laughed. "Told the silly bugger he shouldn't go home."

"When's he back?" asked Toshiko. She was at the toaster waiting for it to pop; a boiled egg was nothing without soldiers.

"Tomorrow. Driving up early in the morning," said Gwen. "Back to work for him." She took a slurp of coffee. "This is good. No one makes it quite like you, Ianto."

"Thanks." He smiled at her then went back to his sausage and bacon. "You're working tomorrow as well, that right?"

"Uh-huh. Then I've got five days off, back in on New Year's Day but not until the late shift." She stuffed the last of the egg in her mouth. "Gotta run now," she mumbled.

With a final swig of coffee she was on her feet and making for the door. It opened before she got there and Owen appeared. He was pale and hungover, hair sticking up untidily, eyes red and dressed in the trousers and shirt he'd been wearing for three days. He started when faced with Gwen and became even paler. "Gwen," he croaked.

"Humph!" She looked him up and down, contempt clear in her stance and expression. Brushing past him, she went into the hall without a further word.

Ianto didn't know what to do for the best: go after Gwen or stay with Owen and Toshiko. He went into the hall where Gwen was already in her uniform jacket. "Sorry about that," he said not sure why he was apologising. She had to meet Owen some time. He would be around for another few days at least and Gwen couldn't avoid him unless she stayed away from the rest of them.

She paused then looked at him. "Don't ask me to feel sorry for him, Ianto. I can't do it."

"I know. Maybe, in time …"

"And pigs might fly." She picked up her bag and headed outside.

Ianto watched her drive off. Despite her words, he thought that, in time, she would come round. She and Owen may never become bosom buddies but then they hadn't been to begin with. Ianto would be content if the pair managed to be civil to one another. Thinking of Owen, he quickly closed the door and headed back to the kitchen. In passing, he glanced up the stairs and wished Jack would hurry up.

"Cheers, Tosh." Owen was sitting at the table in the seat Gwen had just vacated. He clutched a large glass of milk and was sipping it carefully. She went back to the toaster loading it with more bread.

"I'll do that. You sit down," said Ianto quickly.

"Thanks." Her egg was waiting for her and she was hungry. "Owen says he'll have some buttered toast."

"I said I'll try it. Don't know if it'll stay down."

"You want anything? There's aspirin or Alka-Seltzer," offered Ianto.

"No. The stuff Tosh gave me before seems to be working."

Toshiko noticed Ianto's confusion. "I gave him Alka-Seltzer when he was throwing up earlier." She concentrated on her egg, dipping the toast soldiers into the creamy yolk, and avoided his enquiring gaze.

"What was Gwen doing here?" asked Owen.

"She slept here last night." Ianto placed a slice of toast on a plate and gave it to Owen. He took the other slice for himself and sat at the table.

"Why?" In the ensuing silence he guessed why. "Oh, you told her I was here. Come to protect you from me, did she, Tosh?"

"I can look after myself."

"'Cos you can. Sensible girl, you are." Owen gingerly bit his toast and chewed. "And Jack? Where's he?"

Ianto answered. "In bed still, lazy blighter. I'll get him up soon."

Owen sniggered. He was feeling better for the medication, sleep and food. His head still ached and felt too heavy for his neck but at least his mind was clearing. This was a good and a bad thing. With a clear mind came memories, mainly images of Katie lying dead. Ianto was talking again and Owen listened gratefully, eager to have something else to think about.

"Mam's coming over later, for lunch. She knows about Katie. I had to tell her."

"Sure." The toast went dry in his mouth but Owen continued to eat. "Everyone's got to know. Do I have to do an announcement? In the paper?"

"You can, if you want. Let's think of that later." Ianto was uncomfortable talking about Katie in front of Toshiko. "Before you do anything else, you need a bath and a change of clothes."

"Suppose I do pong a bit. Okay if I have some coffee?" The machine was burbling on the side.

"I'll get it for you."

"No need. I'll do it meself. Then I'll have that bath. Don't want to look a mess for Auntie Enid."

-ooOoo-

With Owen taking a much-needed bath, Ianto sorted through the clothes Jack had packed in the holdall. He had meant to do it before but with one thing and another it had slipped his mind. As each creased item was revealed he regretted leaving it so long. Laying it all on the bed, he surveyed the eclectic mixture. Jack had strange ideas about what to pack at the best of times but he had excelled himself for Owen. The two pairs of jeans were okay but there were only dress shirts to go with them. A zipped cardigan suitable for a grandfather was there too, Lord knows where Owen had got that. For some reason Jack had picked up four pairs of shoes but only one pair of underpants. For bed there was a pyjama jacket but no bottoms. It was hardly enough to see Owen through one day let alone a week to New Year. Leaving this poor selection, Ianto went to raid his own wardrobe. Owen was shorter and slighter but that didn't matter too much for shirts and underwear. The one item Ianto did not have was spare pyjamas. He didn't normally wear them and had brought a pair only in deference to sharing the house with Toshiko.

"You're a lousy packer," he complained to Jack.

"A what?" The American was sitting on the bed putting on his boots.

"Packer. The stuff you brought for Owen is bad even for you. Only one pair of underpants? What were you thinking!" The drawer was not as full as Ianto had remembered. If he let Owen have some of his clothes, he'd have to do a some washing today or tomorrow or go commando himself.

"It was a bit of a rush. Owen ranting and raving and Hartman wanting to lock him up. Was lucky to get anything." Jack was peering over his shoulder. "Not the red ones, I like you in the red ones." He snatched the underpants out of Ianto's hands.

"He's got to wear something! And there's no pyjama bottoms, just a top. I ask you!"

"You can give him those. I like you without bottoms!" A hand caressed the Welshman's firm behind.

Ianto ignored the comment and the hand. "What have you got?"

"Not my gear! You wouldn't let me bring much." This was true. The car had been full of Christmas presents and food so space for cases had been limited especially with Toshiko travelling with them. "What about Mr Sato's? There must be some of his stuff around."

"Actually that's a good idea," Ianto admitted. "That's if Tosh agrees. We are really asking a lot of her."

"She can take it. Besides, I thought she was moving on now."

"It's going to take a lot more than last night for her to get over Owen. Let's go and ask her."

"Me too?"

"Yes. About time you did some of the dirty work."

Toshiko heard them out then said, "Of course you can. Dad's stuff is in the chest of drawers in the corner, help yourself." She replaced the towel she'd used to dry her hands. "I'm going out for a bit. I need some fresh air."

"Okay. Thanks, Tosh," said Ianto. "You remember Mam's coming over?"

"I'll be back before lunch." With a smile, she walked out of the room.

Jack looked at Ianto. "Curious."

"Not at all. She's got a lot to think about. You get on with the drying up. I'll check on Owen and get the clothes sorted. I'm going to try and find out what he knows or doesn't know about Katie."

"Be careful. Probe too hard and he might wonder why you want to know." Jack picked up the tea towel.

"I know!"

Ianto met Toshiko in the hall. She was putting on a coat – over a smart pair of trousers and fitted blouse – before pulling on a woollen hat. He was surprised when she took her car keys. Not a walk on the beach then.

-ooOoo-

The town centre was quite busy for Boxing Day morning. Howells and some clothing shops were open for the first day of the post-Christmas sales which drew hordes of bargain hunters. More people had chosen to window-shop or walk along the river and by the castle, frequenting the cafés that had opened on purpose to catch the trade. The Castle Tearooms were on Duke Street, one of the more up-market establishments. Toshiko entered and looked round nervously. Half the tables were occupied and uniformed waitresses buzzed between them carrying plates of delicious cakes and trays of tea and coffee.

"May I help you?" A middle-aged waitress was standing in front of her.

"I'm meeting someone. Well, it wasn't definite … she's obviously decided not to come. Sorry, I'll leave it."

"Toshiko! Over here."

"There's your friend. I'll come and take your order in just a tic." The waitress turned to deal with a couple who had entered after Toshiko.

Forced to go forward, Toshiko threaded through the tables to the one where Mary sat. The blonde girl smiled brightly and gestured to a seat. "I haven't ordered yet, I was waiting for you. Relax, I won't bite."

"'Cos you won't." Toshiko added her coat to the one on the spare chair and sat down. The blonde was still smiling, her page boy hair gleaming in the overhead lights and reflected in the mirror behind her. Realising she was still wearing her hat, Toshiko reached up and pulled it off. Even wearing her better clothes and makeup she felt dowdy.

"You look beautiful. Don't do yourself down, you have looks and brains."

Toshiko stared at Mary. "How do you do that? Know what I'm thinking."

Mary shrugged and continued smiling. "I'll show you later. Now we need to order." The waitress stopped at their table. "A plate of cakes for two and tea for me, Earl Grey. Tosh?"

"I'll have tea too. Thanks."

"Now, how have those friends of yours been behaving? I don't know how you put up with them."

Something in Mary's open expression and her uncanny ability to read minds acted on Toshiko like a truth drug. Hesitantly at first and then more fluently, she told her new friend about Owen - what he had meant to her, how they had broken up, and the love she still felt for him despite recognising she should move on. Over the excellent tea and cakes, she unburdened her soul and was reassured by Mary's sympathetic support.

"You're so strong, Toshiko. You deserve better than Owen. And those other friends … well, they take you for granted. Forcing you to allow Owen to stay in your home, that's not the act of a friend." Mary placed a hand over Toshiko's and squeezed it while looking directly into her eyes. Empathy and perhaps something more emanated from her and flowed through the clasped hands to infuse Toshiko's soul.

"You're right. I've let them walk all over me."

"That's my girl. And I know how to help you stand up to them." She reached up and removed her pendant. "Here, take this."

The pendant was chunky, made of metal and transparent plastic in an abstract design. Holding it in her palm, Toshiko thought it resembled a shard of ice encased in a protective cover. It was lighter than she had expected. "I can't take this."

"Put it on."

Reluctantly, Toshiko fastened it around her neck. And was assailed by sound. Voices came at her from all sides, a cacophony of words that threatened to deafen her. She snatched at the pendant and roughly removed it. The sounds stopped immediately. "What is this!"

Mary shrugged. "I don't know. I found it a long time ago."

"Those sounds …"

"They're thoughts, the thoughts of the people sitting around us. Wearing that pendant, you can hear what people around you are thinking."

"It's frightening. I don't want it." She tried to return it to Mary but she sat back and refused to take it. "Please take it back."

"Try it again. With practice, you'll be able to isolate certain people's thoughts and filter out the rest." She nodded encouragingly. "Go on."

Even more reluctantly than before, Toshiko put the pendant on again. The voices assailed her but she was braced for it this time. She glanced at the table next to them where a mother and daughter were talking. _'Dozy old bat, if she thinks I'm giving up Peter she's mad,'_ came from the daughter. _'That boy's just like her father, a wastrel and a womaniser. I won't let her make the same mistake I did,' _thought the mother. Toshiko was entranced but quickly looked away when the mother noticed her staring at them. _'That bike is beautiful, I have to have it.' 'My shoes are killing me.' 'Another Christmas like that and I'm emigrating!' 'I hate her, hate her, hate her, hate her.' 'Lucy is going to be __so__ jealous I got that jacket for £5.' _The thoughts of all the people in the restaurant rang in her mind.

"It's … it's incredible," said Toshiko. She tried reading Mary's thoughts but there was nothing.

"Don't try it on me, Tosh," laughed Mary. "I've had it too long to be caught out."

Fearing her brain would overload, Toshiko removed the pendant. The silence was heavenly. Examining the pendant more closely, she asked, "But how does it work?"

"No idea. You've probably got more chance of finding out than me. You're the engineer." Mary reached for her coat. "Let's go."

-ooOoo-

The front door closed with sufficient noise to be heard upstairs. _Good,_ thought Ianto, _Jack's gone to get Mam_. He turned back to Owen who was standing by the window looking out at the sea. The cousins had been talking for an hour and gone over the practicalities of death. A notepad lay on the side containing a list of the various things to be done, most of which would have to wait until the New Year. Katie had been orphaned at fourteen and brought up by an elderly aunt who had died last year. She had no other relatives but many friends. Consequently, the burden of making the arrangements fell to Owen who had decided on a quiet funeral and a memorial service in a month or two. Her life deserved to be celebrated not mourned. Her rented flat could be released as soon as it was cleared of her belongings, a task Ianto had offered to undertake. He and Jack would box up everything and, when he was ready, Owen could decide what he wanted to keep.

"I can't think of anything else we need to do."

"No." Owen turned round to face into the room. "Thanks, Ianto. I wouldn't have known where to start."

"It's what I remember from when Tad died. I wasn't here to help Mam with a lot of it, of course, but we talked about it all. Wasn't here when he died either. I regret that."

"I wish I could forget it! Katie's that is."

"Want to talk about it?" Ianto leant back against the wall, his legs sticking out across the bed.

Owen ran a hand through his still-damp hair. "Maybe. You see … No, I'd better not say anything."

"You can say anything to me, Owen. I promise not to judge or to pass it on to anyone else. Even Jack."

"Right." The scepticism was clear.

"I promise. When have I ever broken my word?" Ianto knew he was telling at best half-truths. If Owen told him anything of interest to Torchwood he was duty-bound to pass it on. And he would but only if necessary to keep Owen out the new Director's clutches; she already had a bad reputation. Anything else he would keep to himself.

"You're an honest bloke."

Owen sat on the low chair, forearms resting on his knees. For the past two days he had worried over the circumstances of Katie's death. The hospital authorities had refused to believe him and the strange Scotsman had gone out of his way to persuade him events hadn't happened as Owen remembered them. He glanced up at Ianto. His cousin was a researcher for some government department and might be able to help him get to the truth. It was worth giving it a try.

"Katie was taken to theatre very quick. Garrett knew he had to act fast to … to save her. He's the … was the best neurosurgeon I know. I waited outside for hours. There was a light and a noise. I looked in. I was going to stay by the door but then I saw them."

"Who?" prompted Ianto.

"Garrett and his team. They were on the floor, lying there like they'd been knocked out. There was a funny smell too. But even as I took all this in, it was Katie I was concerned about. I mean, no one was looking after her." Owen was wringing his hands. "I went up to her, God knows what I thought I was going to do, I'm not a surgeon, but then I saw it."

"Saw what?"

"Her head. Her brain was exposed and there was … things growin' out of it."

Ianto watched Owen very carefully. This was the crucial moment. Owen didn't appear to want to believe what he saw – the parasite growing on Katie's brain – but there was no doubt he had seen it and seen it clearly. Trying to persuade him otherwise was not going to work. In a sudden change of direction, Ianto abandoned all thoughts of feeding him the cover story and decided to become his confidant and assistant in trying to find the truth. That way he could control all ensuing research and feed him misinformation.

"Are you sure? I mean what were they?"

"I don't know. I've never seen anything like it." Owen's hands were still and he was gazing at Ianto. "You believe me? No one else did!"

"I admit it sounds like something out of science-fiction. You know, _Invasion of the Body Snatchers_ or something_,_ but if you say you saw it then I believe you."

"Thank you. I thought I was going bonkers." He took a deep breath and collected his thoughts. "This Scots bloke came in, never seen him before, and bundled me off. I tried to tell Matron and the Head of Medicine what had happened but they didn't believe me. Said Katie had died on the table. That Dr Garrett and his team had left to attend some emergency. Codswallop! They were all dead in that operating theatre. I saw them!"

Ianto was off the bed and kneeling in front of Owen. He grasped both his hands. "It's okay. I believe you. I don't know how, but we'll prove them wrong if we can. There must be some records to show what went on." Even as he spoke, Ianto wondered when he had learnt to lie with such ease. When he had joined Torchwood? Or when he and Jack had begun living together? Both required him to pretend and it was second nature now.

"Records, yeah, the hospital's got to have some and no one can tamper with those."

_Don't you believe it,_ thought Ianto. Torchwood was extremely efficient at doctoring or losing records it decided were inconvenient. "Let me think about it. It's a lot to take in but I'm sure we can come up with a plan of what to do next."

"Thanks, Ianto." Unexpectedly, Owen hugged his cousin. It was such a relief to have someone on his side.

Ianto patted Owen on the back feeling about as bad as one could.

-ooOoo-

When Toshiko got home just before midday she found everyone in the kitchen. The three boys and Mrs Jones were preparing the meal together, drinking a bottle of cheap champagne supplied by Jack, and Toshiko joined them. The five drank as potatoes were scrubbed for baking (Owen), the turkey carcass denuded of all available meat (Jack), salads prepared (Mrs Jones), the dining table laid with the best crockery, cutlery and glassware (Ianto) and soup prepared (Toshiko). After the meal, when a couple of bottles of wine had also been consumed, they were all quite tiddly and laughed a lot as they cleared up.

Afterwards, Owen flopped onto the couch. "That was great." Bathed and in clean clothes and with a decent meal inside him he felt more like his old self, especially as he had an ally in finding out what had really killed Katie.

"It's important you eat. I know how easy it is to let yourself go after a tragedy," said Mrs Jones. She was sitting beside him and placed a comforting hand on his arm.

"Don't you worry, Auntie Enid, I'll look after meself. If I don't, I'll only have Ianto on at me!" He patted her hand and grinned at Ianto who was in an armchair.

Jack, selecting a record by the gramophone, saw this and wondered what it meant. The cousins seemed very friendly after their chat which was … surprising. Ianto was supposed to have pushed the Torchwood cover story, not a stance liable to make friends with Owen. He couldn't wait to get Ianto alone and find out what had happened.

"Let's have some Frank Sinatra," suggested Toshiko. She was in the other armchair, flushed and sitting forward eagerly. The pendant was burning a hole in her pocket but she had resisted the temptation to put it on, still trying to justify doing so.

"Okay. Old Blue Eyes it is." Jack found the LP and placed it on the turntable. To strains of _Strangers in the Night_, he pulled out the stool and sat beside Ianto's chair. "This rugby trip still on?"

"Umm. We're meeting Gwen at four. Sorry we're cutting the day short, Mam," said Ianto.

"That's all right, dear. I've had a lovely lunch and eaten rather a lot." Mrs Jones laughed.

Owen nudged her. "And drunk a bit of wine. I saw you knocking it back, Auntie."

"She's entitled to, it's Christmas," put in Jack. "But who's going to rugby? I mean, there's only three tickets." When they had planned the outing no one had expected Owen to be staying with them.

"Oh, umm …"

"It's okay, Ianto. You three go. I'm not that bothered," offered Owen.

"You'd enjoy it more than me," countered Jack. "I was only going on sufferance; it's not my game. You go with Ianto and Tosh. I'll stay here and Mrs J can keep me company." He looked at her hopefully. "How about it?"

"I don't want to outstay my welcome," she protested.

"You won't be. We can have a good natter." He looked round, the only one of the friends happy with the arrangement.

* * *

><p><em>Will Tosh use the pendant? How will the rugby turn out? More will be revealed in the next chapter ...<em>


	8. Revelations

_We re-join the friends and find Ianto rather frazzled ..._

* * *

><p><strong>Five Go Mad at Christmas<strong>

Chapter Eight: Revelations

Cardiff Arms Park was full of people come to watch the home team play Swansea. Boxing Day matches were always good affairs, with crowd and players in a festive mood and a lot of singing. Ianto sang with the best of them, bellowing out _Land of My Fathers_ and the quieter _Abide With Me_, remembering his father and missing him. They had enjoyed their time together on the terraces. This occasion was a lot less enjoyable. He could murder Jack for opting out and leaving Ianto to keep the peace between Owen, Gwen and Toshiko. Initially he had had to hold back Gwen who had been furious to see Owen instead of Jack; she had only stayed because she wanted to watch the match. Then he had tried to keep Owen and Toshiko apart but that left Gwen free to pass caustic comments so he had moved to block her. Luckily Owen, who knew little about rugby, got talking to a large man in a bobble hat who liked explaining the rules. Putting himself between Owen and the girls, Ianto had finally been able to relax.

In a lull in play, when Toshiko's attention was elsewhere, Gwen whispered, "I don't understand her, I really don't. She's so … so spineless."

"What do you mean?" He glanced at Toshiko to make sure she was out of earshot.

"She never gets angry. I'd have refused to let him come today."

"I know!" He recalled Gwen's verbal attack the previous evening and not for the first time pitied Rhys. She was not one to hide her feelings. "But it's up to Tosh how she handles it and we should respect that." His gaze was drawn back to the field where a scrum was given.

"I suppose." She watched as the ball emerged from the scrum. "Pass it!" she yelled.

Twenty minutes later the match was over – a win for Cardiff – and the crowd flooded out into the dark and cold streets of Cardiff. Most went to the local pubs to replay the match but a lot headed for the nearby train and bus stations while others, the four friends included, went to find cars parked in back streets. Ianto walked with Owen who was rather quiet.

"You okay?"

Owen sighed and dredged up a smile. "Was just thinking how much Katie would have enjoyed it, that's all. We went to a few of Arsenal's matches and she liked those."

"Then she'd be pleased you came today. She'd want you to enjoy yourself."

Owen did not reply. He found it hard to control his emotions and was suddenly close to tears. Just when he thought he had a handle on his grief, he'd get knocked sideways by a stray memory. How long did this go on? Auntie Enid had warned him it would happen when they'd had a private word before lunch but she hadn't said when it stopped. He hoped it wouldn't be too long. How could he work in the hospital where every ward, every corner held a memory of Katie?

Behind the boys, Toshiko was pressing Gwen to follow them out to Sully for the evening and to stay the night. "The bed's all made up, Gwen. Please say you'll come."

"I don't know. I've barely seen Mum and Dad and Auntie Mary goes back tomorrow. I really should go home."

"An hour? Please, Gwen."

"Oh, okay, if you want it that much. But I'm not staying late." Gwen had noticed Toshiko's false brightness and wondered how much she was bottling up inside. Having Owen around can't be easy no matter how calm she appeared on the surface. "And I'll only come if we get a chance to talk. In private."

"Okay. I'd like that too." Toshiko threaded her arm through Gwen's and hastened to catch up with the boys. "Gwen's coming back to ours for a bit."

"Is she!" Ianto's query came out as more alarmed than welcoming. "I mean, that's nice but after a couple of late nights and …" He stopped talking before digging himself into a deeper hole.

"I'll not stay long, Ianto." Gwen checked her watch. "It's not quite seven now and I need to be home by nine. Can you put up with me for a couple of hours?"

"Of course. I didn't mean –"

They had arrived at the cars and Gwen cut him off. "Good! I'll follow you three." She strode off to the Imp.

"One of you want to ride with her?" asked Toshiko, opening the Rover's doors. "Oh, no, maybe not." She, like Ianto, realised that putting Owen in a car alone with Gwen was not a good idea. Nor did Toshiko want to be alone with him.

"She won't want me," said Owen, gloriously oblivious. "Up to you, Ianto."

"I'll stick with you," he said earning a grateful glance from Toshiko.

-ooOoo-

"Sounds like them," said Mrs Jones, looking up from the Scrabble board. "More victims for you."

"What? Am I being too competitive? Ianto's always telling me that. I'm sorry."

"Don't be silly. You know a lot more words, obscure ones too, than me." She paused then said, with a twinkle in her eye, "I'd beat you if it was in Welsh."

They were still laughing when the door opened and Toshiko walked in. "Oooh, it's getting chilly out there." She went straight to the fire and warmed her hands.

"I have just the thing. Harkness's patent warmer-upper." He stood up. "Take my place here while I get it."

"I've played enough. Here, Owen you take my place." Mrs Jones made to get up too.

"No, Mrs J, you carry on. Might win this time!" laughed Jack heading out of the door. "Hey, Gwen, didn't know you were coming back," he said as he passed her coming in.

"I feel so welcome! Oh, Scrabble. I love Scrabble." After some polite exchanges, she settled down to a new game against Toshiko leaving Mrs Jones and Owen to sit in the comfy chairs and talk about the rugby match.

In the hall, Ianto grabbed Jack's arm and frogmarched him into the kitchen. Behind closed doors, he rounded on the American. "Don't ever do that to me again! I've been trying to keep those three apart all afternoon. I'm exhausted!"

"You must have done a good job, they look intact." Jack kissed him quickly, one eye on the door. "You have got to taste this punch, your mam and I made it."

"You! Will you never listen to me!"

"I want to know how come you and Owen are buddies. What did you say to him?" Jack was at the stove, lighting the gas under a large saucepan.

Giving up on trying to make Jack see his point of view, Ianto slumped into a chair. "I agreed to help him prove he did see an alien growing out of his dead fiancée's brain."

"You what!" Jack stared at him aghast.

"He saw everything, Jack, the whole lot. He's not stupid enough to accept the cover story and he won't give up trying to prove he's right. Better I help him than he goes off on his own. This way we'll know what he's up to."

Stirring the aromatic contents of the saucepan thoughtfully, Jack pondered this for several minutes. "That's not bad actually. You can steer him in the right direction."

"That's what I thought. We aiming to keep him here until we go back?"

"I guess." Jack brought the saucepan over to the table. "I'll call Mac tomorrow, see what's what." He poured the liquid into a large glass bowl and added slices of orange. "Get some crisps and stuff to have with this."

"Okay," said Ianto wearily.

Jack grinned and pulled Ianto his feet. "I'm sorry about this afternoon."

He cupped Ianto's face in both hands and kissed him softly, pulling on his bottom lip and gently inserting his tongue between the strong teeth. Ianto's arms wrapped round Jack pulling him in close until their bodies were pressed together. The kiss continued, both tongues exploring delicately until, reluctantly, they pulled apart. Jack stroked Ianto's hair.

"Remember where we got to, we'll pick this up later. But now, we'd better go and see how the terrible three are getting on." He picked up the punch.

-ooOoo-

When Toshiko came back from the bathroom she was wearing the pendant under her shirt. She was assailed by the jumbled thoughts of her friends but was soon able to isolate them. No one noticed her immediately so she stood back, flicking through the pile of cards while watching Jack serve punch and Ianto hand round savoury nibbles. She found it best to look at the person whose thoughts she wanted to hear and tried Mrs Jones first. _'Poor Owen, so young to lose a partner. At least I had years with Emlyn.' _With only a few people present, Toshiko caught the accompanying deep sadness. _'He'll never see his grandchild.'_ Clearly, Mrs Jones carried the grief still although it rarely showed.

Tears pricked Toshiko's eyes and she turned to Ianto. _'I am so horny. Why does Jack get me going then leave me high and dry? Maybe we can get in a quickie.'_ A blush warmed Toshiko's face and she looked away quickly. It was true, men did think about sex all the time.

Hoping Gwen would be less embarrassing, she turned to where she was laughing with Jack. _'I wish I hadn't agreed to come tonight. Seeing Tosh being all virtuous about Owen is nauseating.'_ Toshiko turned her back on the room. How could her best friend think that about her and yet appear so supportive?

'_What's Tosh up to?' _intruded into the thoughts she was receiving. Ianto again. He was looking straight at her, a smile on his lips.

"You okay, Tosh?" he asked. "Come have some punch."

"That stuff's lethal," complained Owen. "Let's have some more."

Toshiko took a couple of paces nearer once Ianto's attention had been diverted. She concentrated on Owen. _'It hurts so much. I can't stand the pain gnawing at me like this. I want to die and be with her.' _His grief was raw, almost primeval, and hit her like a hammer blow to the chest. It was more proof, if she needed it, that he had loved Katie a lot more than he had ever loved her.

"Here you are, Tosh." Ianto stood before her with a glass of punch. "Cheer up." Through his smile she heard _'She has got to buck her ideas up. She expect the rest of us to support her forever?'_

"Thanks," she managed to say. Sinking down on the couch, she drained the lot.

"Jeez, Tosh, go careful with that. It's pretty strong." Jack sat beside her. He stuffed a handful of peanuts in his mouth and chewed.

Still trying to deal with what she had overhead, Toshiko looked at Jack out of the corner of her eye. This time she heard nothing in her head. The pendant was still working, she could 'hear' the buzz of the others' thoughts, so why was there nothing from Jack?

"Have I got something on my face, Tosh?" he asked. "Is that why you're staring at me? Mrs J, I trust you to tell me, what is it?"

"There's nothing," she assured him.

"Stop being so precious, Jack," said Gwen. "Tosh, let's finish our game." She wanted to get as far away from Owen as possible and have a chance to talk alone to Toshiko. She really did have to get home soon. Her parents accepted her busy social life but expected to see her more than they had this Christmas.

"I'll just get a refill." Toshiko moved to the drinks trolley. With her back to the room, she reached up and removed the pendant; it was true that eavesdroppers never heard good of themselves. Dropping it in her pocket and with a full glass, she joined Gwen at the Scrabble board.

The boys and Mrs Jones talked loudly and laughed a lot which provided good cover for a private conversation. Gwen set out her tiles in the rack and studied them before placing five on the board. "LOVER. That's eight on a triple word. Twenty four to me." She watched Toshiko jot this down and reached into the bag for replacement tiles. "Are you okay, Tosh? I mean really okay? After last night I thought you'd be … sorted."

"I can be in the same room as Owen," said Toshiko quietly. "But knowing I don't stand a chance with him hasn't been as, well, as liberating as I thought it would. Love doesn't go away when you want it to." She placed her tiles on the board.

"ZEALOT. Good word. What's that? Fifteen points?"

"Thirty five, the Z is on a triple letter."

"Oh yeah. And I know about love being … difficult."

"You and Rhys are good together. Aren't you?"

"Not talking about Rhys. I didn't tell you at the time, it was just after you and Owen split up, but I had a … fling. With a guy at work."

"Oh, Gwen." Toshiko was not surprised, Gwen always seemed to be pulling against her attraction to Rhys, almost like she had to test his love all the time. "What happened?"

"Three months of fooling around, meeting in secret and lying to everyone about where we were. Police work's good for that, can always say the shift overran or there was an emergency. You know me, I loved all that, trouble was I fell for him. Hook, line and sinker." Those months with Phil Surtees had been some of the happiest she'd known and she had been ready to leave Rhys. But it turned out Phil hadn't wanted her. As soon as she had become serious, he had backed off. Luckily, Rhys hadn't suspected anything and she had been able to rebuild their relationship. That was just over a year ago and they were stronger than ever now, but Gwen still thought of what might have been, especially as she was reminded every time she saw Phil at work. "And he didn't want me, not for anything more than a shag anyway," she continued. "So I know what it's like to be rejected."

"Horrid, isn't it? But you and Rhys are okay?"

"Yeah, good reliable Rhys was waiting in the wings. He doesn't know anything about this, Tosh, and I don't want him to."

"I won't say anything." She looked across at the group round the fire. "But your experience must make it easier to understand why I can't be cruel to Owen, not when he's hurting so much. It's not virtuous of me, and it probably sickens you, but I have to help him if I can." She had chosen her words with care, to reflect Gwen's thoughts from earlier, and watched her surreptitiously now.

Gwen was surprised at the choice of words but didn't comment. She fiddled with the tiles on the rack, not really seeing them. Her idea of supporting Toshiko after the break-up had been to criticise Owen and belittle him at every opportunity. Now she realised she would have been a better friend if she had listened more, tried to put herself in Toshiko's place. Toshiko and Owen had been together for years, of course she wasn't going to stop loving him overnight. If Phil needed Gwen's help she'd give it for the love she still felt for him. Toshiko was no different when it came to Owen.

"I hear what you're saying, Tosh," she said at last. "I'll try not to judge him so harshly. But only if you make an effort to get out more and meet new people. No more burying yourself in your books."

Toshiko smiled brightly. "I have met someone. No, I'm not saying any more. It's too soon, we only met a few days ago."

Despite Gwen's pressing questions, she did not reveal anything more. There was no guessing how Gwen would react to her falling in love with Mary. And Toshiko was falling in love. Their meeting this morning had opened up many new delightful possibilities and she didn't want to jinx it all by speaking too soon.

-ooOoo-

Once the Scrabble game was officially abandoned, the girls joined the others round the fire. The talk flowed freely with Mrs Jones fitting in easily. She liked listening to the young people's ideas and plans and only commented if her opinion was requested, and then with infinite tact. At these moments, she felt closer to her only son and felt she knew him better for seeing him interact with his friends.

"I'm going to have to go," said Gwen. "Mam will go spare if I'm not in soon. Want a lift, Mrs Jones?"

"No need," said Jack. "Rhi's picking her up."

Ianto stared at him. "What did you say?"

"Rhi's coming. Well, she and Johnny seeing as it's his car and he's driving. Said they'd be here for nine." He suddenly realised how fiercely Ianto was glaring at him. "Why?"

"It was my idea, Ianto," said Mrs Jones soothingly. "They're at Johnny's grandparents and Sully is on their way home so when they rang –"

"They haven't rung," protested Ianto.

"Sure they did, while you were out. Wanted to check what time Mrs J was getting home." Jack shifted uncomfortably. "I don't think they intend to stay."

"They'd better not!"

"Ianto, don't be so rude about your sister!" exclaimed his mother. She rarely raised her voice and it brought everyone up short.

"I'm sorry to miss this, but I do have to go," said Gwen. "If you're sure, Mrs Jones?"

"Yes, thank you, dear. I'll wait for Rhiannon." Mrs Jones sat placidly, her smile only slightly strained.

Toshiko went out with Gwen to see her on her way. Ianto, seething, stood and gathered up glasses and empty dishes before stalking out. Jack looked after him and cringed; this was all going to be his fault, he just knew it.

"Well I'm looking forward to seeing me cousin, Auntie Enid, even if he isn't," said Owen. Sprawled in a chair, he had been drinking solidly and was well on the way to being drunk which is what he wanted to be before the night was much older. He couldn't face sleep tormented by dreams; he craved oblivion.

"I'm sure she'll be pleased to see you too."

"Another drink, Mrs J? Come on," Jack said when she looked reluctant, "help me finish the punch before this lout does it for us."

"Who you calling a lout?" protested Owen, his tone just the right side of good-natured. A few more drinks and it would have been fighting talk.

Jack ignored him and took Mrs Jones's glass. "One for the road," he said smiling.

"You are very hard to resist, Jack," she laughed.

Owen sniggered, considered making a rude remark but then thought better of it. He liked and admired his aunt and didn't want to upset her. He took another drink instead.

"Look who's just arrived," said Toshiko with false cheer. She was ushering in Rhiannon and Johnny. "They drew up just as Gwen was leaving."

"My beautiful cousin," said Owen leaping up unsteadily. "My beautiful pregnant cousin. Well done, mate." He winked at Johnny.

Jack tried to save the situation. "Ignore him, he's drunk. Sit yourselves down and have a drink. 'Fraid the punch is all gone but we've got most other things. What will you have, Rhi?"

Moving away from Owen, who had planted a sloppy kiss on her cheek, Rhiannon perched on the edge of the couch beside her mother. She had not removed her coat and was warm so close to the fire but refused to take it off now. This was supposed to be a quick stop. "Not for me, thanks."

"I don't mind," said Johnny. "Got a beer?"

"Watney's do you?" said Jack, holding up the bottle.

"Grand."

"And here's yours, Mrs J."

Jack passed it over and smiled fixedly at everyone. Johnny was standing by the tree with Owen, the latter making jokes about fatherhood which Johnny was lapping up. Toshiko had slipped into a chair and was attempting to engage Rhiannon and Mrs Jones in conversation but it was hard going. Jack joined them.

"Sounds like a lovely day," Toshiko was saying. "Has Johnny got a big family?"

"Pretty big. His mam has four sisters and two brothers," explained Rhiannon. "And his tad is one of five. A lot bigger family than we Joneses."

"I used to think everyone in Wales was called Jones," joked Jack. "And that they were all related."

"I wouldn't expect you to know any better." This was said with a smile but the sarcasm was clear. Even Johnny heard it and looked over, well aware his girlfriend disliked Jack intensely.

"You could at least be civil," said Ianto. He had come in silently and heard the exchanges.

"No, she's right," said Jack. "What do Americans know about Wales? I'll tell you, zilch."

Ignoring him, Ianto met and held Rhiannon's gaze. It was a challenge and neither was prepared to back down. Under normal circumstances, and in the presence of their mother, they'd have made the effort to get along but meeting unexpectedly had put paid to that idea. This was going to be no-holds-barred.

"That's enough, you two," said Mrs Jones decisively. "Sit down, Ianto, and have a drink with us."

"No, thanks."

"Yeah, come on, Ianto," encouraged Jack. He stood up. "Sit here and I'll get you a beer."

Shifting his gaze to Jack, Ianto saw the plea for forbearance and took a very deep breath. If Jack wanted him to hold his tongue he'd try. For him and for his mother, not for Rhiannon. He moved to the chair.

Rhiannon seized the moment. Ignoring the small voice of conscience telling her to keep quiet, she said, "See that, Mam. Takes no notice of you but as soon as Jack asks it's another matter. Ever wondered why that is?"

Everyone in the room was still, even Owen whose balance was none too good. All eyes were on Rhiannon and her brother who were just a few feet apart, gazes locked together. Mrs Jones was embarrassed at the spectacle her children were creating. Toshiko and Jack were trying vainly to think of some way to defuse the situation. Johnny and Owen were waiting for the fireworks to begin.

"It's because they're queer." Rhiannon's words dropped into the silence. "Bent as a five bob note, they are."

Jack stopped smiling and moved up alongside Ianto. "Get out, now."

"There you are, Mam. Not even attempting to deny it." Rhiannon stood up, her smile triumphant. It disappeared when Ianto slapped her. "Argh!"

"Stop it, both of you!" said Mrs Jones loudly. She stood between her children. "I cannot believe what I've seen tonight. Toshiko, I apologise for them both. Rhiannon, you deserved that. Your brother's private life is none of your business."

Rhiannon stared at her mother. "Don't you understand? They're queer."

"I've known that for years. Johnny, get her into the car. I won't be long."

In the bustle of getting a deflated Rhiannon outside, Ianto stood staring at his mother. She knew. Had known for years. And she didn't mind. She wasn't going to disown him. "Oh, Mam, I love you." He hugged her tight.

"And I love you. Both of you." She included Jack in the hug. "I hoped you'd tell me before now, it was hard not being able to say anything."

"I thought you might object." Ianto was openly holding Jack's hand and his cheeks were wet with tears.

"Why would you think that? Call, or better still come and see me tomorrow and we'll talk properly. I mustn't keep Johnny waiting now."

"You're one in a million, Auntie Enid. One in a million," called Owen.

* * *

><p><em>The cat's out of the bag now. Next time, Ianto chats to his mam and Tosh uses her pendant again ...<em>


	9. A Crime

_Everyone is in contemplative mood, except Ianto who is horny ..._

* * *

><p><strong>Five Go Mad at Christmas<strong>

Chapter Nine: A Crime

It was eleven fifteen and the house in Sully was almost completely silent. After the tumultuous evening everyone had opted for an early night. Faint mumbled words and occasional sobs were audible from Owen's room at the back of the house. He was not alone; he had a bottle of vodka – now only a quarter-full - to keep him company which he was drinking steadily to banish unhappy memories of Katie. All the alcohol he had drunk was doing its job and he was rapidly losing consciousness.

-ooOoo-

In her room, Toshiko sat up in bed examining the pendant Mary had given her through a jeweller's glass. There were no manufacturer's marks anywhere on the mount nor any indication of how it enabled her to hear other people's thoughts. Sighing, she dropped the glass on the covers and stared at the jewel. It glittered icily beautiful in its stark simplicity and unlike anything she had ever seen before. If she couldn't analyse its construction, she could at least experiment with its supposed purpose. There was time tomorrow and she resolved to use it wisely. Hearing the private thoughts of her friends had left her feeling soiled - eavesdropping was not the act of a friend – but her experiment would involve strangers which was undoubtedly a good thing. Her friends' thoughts had hardly been easy listening. The strength of their desire for her to forget Owen and finally stop moping around had surprised her.

Placing the pendant and jeweller's glass on the side, Toshiko smiled remembering Gwen's reaction to the hint of there being someone new in her life. Maybe she shouldn't have said anything - Mary appeared to be attracted to her but they hardly knew one another - she could have misread the blonde girl's interest but she didn't think so. Toshiko had high hopes for their meeting tomorrow. For her part, she was definitely attracted to Mary who had such an unusual way of looking at life. And, Toshiko had to admit, a love affair with a girl appealed to her dormant adventurous streak. She slipped under the covers and put out the light. Drifting off to sleep she began a plan a future that, for the first time, did not involve Owen.

-ooOoo-

"He's stopped," whispered Jack. "At last." He and Ianto had been aware of Owen on the other side of the wall.

"Good, it was getting annoying." Ianto snuggled closer, pressing their naked bodies together. "Fuck me."

"Again?"

"Yes."

Jack obliged. They had not made it to the bed for their first shag, clawing at one another as soon as the bedroom door was shut and completing the act on the floor still half-dressed. It had been quick and brutal, both men unable to wait. Ianto had been the instigator, giving orders Jack was ready and eager to follow. The Welshman was still in charge, demanding when usually he was the passive partner. It was as if the revelation that his mother knew about and accepted his relationship with Jack gave him licence to indulge in more adventurous lovemaking. Fifteen minutes later, Jack lay across Ianto. Both were slick with sweat and other fluids and panting hard. It had been another bruising but satisfying encounter.

"Can you believe it?" asked Ianto.

"What?"

"She knew. All the time, she knew."

Jack propped himself up onto one elbow and looked down at Ianto, his friend and lover of years. "I've never seen you so happy," he said softly.

"I don't think I ever have been. Oh, being with you makes me happy but there was always …"

"Not being able to tell your mom. I know."

"I was so scared that if I said anything …" Rejection would have ruined his relationship with both his mam and Jack and he hadn't been willing to risk all. "And all the time she knew!" Ianto grinned up at Jack and pulled him down for a long, deep kiss.

Breaking apart, Jack pulled the covers over them. "I am tempted to say I told you so, but I won't."

"You can be as smug as you like, I don't care." Ianto assumed his usual position resting against Jack. He soon drifted off to sleep, a smile on his lips.

Jack lay awake a little longer, listening to Ianto's regular breathing and smiling to himself. He remembered the relief after he had told his own parents of his homosexuality. He had been reasonably confident of their acceptance but not 100% sure, no one could be until they put it to the test. Ianto had not been with him on that trip, thinking it better to stay away just in case, and could only express his delight down a telephone line. How much better to be together and to share the joy. Especially as it turned Ianto into a sex-fiend. Jack's dreams that night were full of Ianto and he was always naked …

-ooOoo-

Owen was hungover again. He threw up a couple of times, took Alka-Seltzer and then went back to bed. Fussing over him, Ianto felt incredibly guilty. He had resolved to look after his cousin and yet had let him drink far too much and done nothing about it. In fact, he had been relieved as it meant Jack and he could indulge themselves without fear of being overheard or interrupted. Carrying the clothes basket, he returned downstairs.

"How is he?" asked Jack. He and Toshiko were finishing a leisurely breakfast.

"Sleeping it off. He looks as bad as yesterday."

"He did rather put it away last night."

"Umm. If either of you has got anything more for the wash, let me have it. I'll do some this morning."

"I don't think so," said Toshiko, reaching for her coffee. "I'll be out for lunch, by the way." She concentrated on the drink, avoiding looking at either of them.

"Meeting Gwen? Oh no, she's working," said Jack.

"No, Lorna, another school friend. Bumped into her yesterday and arranged to meet this morning. We'll probably go back to her place, she's got a room in Splott, on Silver Street. Maybe meet up with some of the rest of the gang, she says they're around."

"Okay."

"I'll go and get ready." Finishing the coffee she hastened out of the room.

Jack looked after thoughtfully over the rim of his coffee mug. "Too much information."

"What? Are you going to eat this last piece of toast?"

"Waste not want not." Jack plucked it from the toast rack and reached for the butter. "Why don't you go and see your mom this morning? I'll stay with Owen."

Ianto eyed him curiously. "Trying to get rid of me?"

"No. You two need a good long chat and she's working this afternoon. Go and have lunch with her. I'm sure Tosh'll drop you off."

"And what will you be doing? You're up to something."

Jack gave him one of his most innocent looks. "Me? No, I just thought that with Tosh out of the way and Owen _hors de combat_ I could invite Suzie Costello for a chat. Let her see for herself that Owen's no threat."

"You can't let them meet!" Ianto protested.

"Wasn't planning on a formal introduction. She can take a look at his pitiful state and maybe call off her goons."

"Are they still there? I'd forgotten all about them."

"I've seen them walking up the beach in ones and twos." Jack laughed. "They're trying disguises now!"

"It's a small operation down here. Only half a dozen or so." Ianto stood for a moment thinking. "If you promise not to do anything daft, I think I will go to Mam's. I want to talk to her. The washing can wait."

"That's settled then. Go make yourself pretty and I'll clear up."

-ooOoo-

Cardiff city centre was busy by mid-morning. All the shops and businesses were open again and doing a brisk trade. Housewives stocked up on food and tried to amuse the children who had two weeks of school-free days to fill. The city also attracted a number of tourists especially on this bright, sunny day. They admired the castle and the parks and filled the restaurants and curio shops.

Into this melee stepped Toshiko. She was nervous as she took up position outside Woolworths. Time to put her experiment into operation. Fastening the pendant around her neck, she stood with her back to the wall as she adjusted to the maelstrom of voices in her head. Gradually they became clearer and she could hear complete thoughts but they still ran into one another. Concentrating on the people passing by she began to connect the thoughts to individuals.

A smart woman with a baby in a pram, _'Howells first to change the ghastly skirt from Barbara then the greengrocer's _; an elderly man walking with a stick very slowly, _'Haven't seen anyone for two days. I hate Christmas'_ ; a boy about five years old, _'Liquorice or gob stoppers? Or maybe a Dinky car'_ ; a Council road sweeper, _'That's a bit of all right, that is. Take that home to the missus'_ ; an Indian man in a hurry, _'I'm going to kill them. Lay them down afterwards with me beside them'_ ; a tourist in a loud checked jacket, '_Golly gee, this is a cute little town'_ ; a leather-jacketed youth, _'What's that slit-eyed girl doing?'_ .

Shaken, Toshiko looked over at the youth and gulped. He was staring at her and was not friendly. She moved on, ducking between people until she was near Timothy White's. The voices continued in her head but as a background to her fear. Glancing over her shoulder, she relaxed when she spotted the youth headed in the opposite direction. Standing out of the way of the people entering the shop, she tuned into the voices again finding them addictive and repellent at the same time. _'Ugly women shouldn't wear pink.' 'Lawrence will come in and find us lying there dead.' 'Silly cow leaving her handbag open. She's asking to have her purse pinched.' "I need a cup of tea and a sit down.' _

Pulling her attention away from the voices and their insights into other lives, Toshiko tried to concentrate on what she had already heard. There was something there that made her uneasy. The pickpocket? No, it was bad but there was something more important. What was it? Of course, the man thinking of killing someone! She had heard that voice before, the Indian gentleman who had passed her further up the street. She searched the crowd and spotted him heading down by the bus station and started after him.

-ooOoo-

"You could have knocked," said Jack as Suzie Costello walked into the study.

She had no time for niceties. "Where's Harper?"

"Asleep upstairs. Want to see?" He got up from the desk where he had been writing to John Hart, a college friend currently serving in Vietnam. They wrote about once a month, John's letters full of bitching about the military and Jack's with news of home and mutual friends.

"Yes. I was surprised you let him go to a rugby match," she said, following him upstairs. "He could have got away from Jones or started shouting his mouth off."

"Yelling about aliens wouldn't have turned a hair when Cardiff were winning at home. You should know that by now." He held up a hand. "I'll just check on him." Pushing the door open he saw Owen sprawled over the bed, one leg hanging over the side and outside the covers. He was deep asleep.

"Not inspiring," murmured Suzie. She had not waited to be asked in. "These his things?" She poked around among Bunmei's possessions set out on shelves.

"No, they're your boss's son's treasures." He smiled inwardly when she stopped abruptly. "Seen enough?"

"For now."

Back downstairs Jack went into the kitchen. "Coffee?"

"Black, one sugar." She sat at the table and drummed her fingers on the pine watching Jack put the ground beans in the filter and switch on the machine. "You said you had something to tell me."

Leaning against the counter with arms crossed, Jack studied her. She was a very pretty woman but dangerous. She was currently in charge of Torchwood Cardiff and wouldn't have been given the role if she hadn't also been tough and capable. The Welsh capital was a hotspot for trouble, with Weevils in the sewers and a Rift in time and space running through it spitting out all sorts of alien life. Ianto had had kittens when he found out the latter's full extent during indoctrination. It took a lot of hard talking from Jack and Mr Sato to convince him his mother would be safe.

"Ianto has set something up with Owen. I've told Mac – Stuart McGregor – in London and he's running it by our boss but you should know too, seeing as we're in your bailiwick."

"Go on."

Over mugs of coffee and some warmed up mince pies, he told her about Ianto's plan to 'help' Owen research what had happened to Katie and thereby channel the investigation into a convenient dead end. She was supportive which, even though she was not directly concerned, was encouraging. If she went along with it there was a good chance Harold Messiter would too. Unfortunately she was not willing to lift the watch on Owen. The house would remain under surveillance until she was ordered otherwise by Director Hartman herself.

"Is he likely to be going out again?" she asked.

"No plans. Right now all he wants is to drink Wales dry."

"Encourage him. Anything that keeps him here out of harm's way is good. He say anything to Miss Sato or WPC Cooper?"

"No. Tosh is an unlikely confidant and Gwen can't stand to be in the same room as him."

"Keep it that way." She pushed back her chair. "I'll be off."

"Okay. Thanks for coming." He walked to the back door, the one she had used to make her unannounced entrance. "Any joy on that piece of kit you found?" During their tour of the Hub she had shown him a large artefact found in a building site alongside a skeletonised body.

"Alex thinks it's a teleport but who knows. Body was a young man from the 1800s."

"Human?"

"Completely. He had his heart ripped out, maybe by whoever arrived by the teleport, if that's what it is. There's no sign of the traveller."

"Probably long dead."

"Let's hope so. We're busy at it is, especially as we have to babysit your friend."

Jack smiled. "Tell them not to bother with the disguises."

She laughed, a pleasant sound. Without another word she went down the path and onto the beach, just another young person taking a walk in the comparatively warm sunshine. He went back to the study and his letter.

-ooOoo-

"I was going to have cauliflower cheese. Is that enough for you?"

"As long as it doesn't involve turkey, Mam, I'm happy."

Mrs Jones laughed at his expression. "You had a very large bird for just the four of you." She reached into the drawer for a stout knife. "Of course, I don't have any leftover this year. Seems rather odd."

Ianto held open the back door and followed her through. "Think yourself lucky. Mind you, I always liked your turkey curry."

"Want the recipe?"

"Please. This is looking good." They were by the vegetable plot, once Emlyn Jones's pride and joy and now tended by his widow. It didn't look its best but for the time of year it was still productive with part-rows of cabbages, cauliflowers and Brussels sprouts.

"I can't grow the fancy things Tad could, but I like being out here." She bent and expertly cut a head of cauliflower.

"He'd be impressed. Any chance of a cabbage? We have loads of Christmas bits but not much veg."

Carrying the vegetables, they returned to the kitchen. Mrs Jones prepared the meal and Ianto sat at the table watching her move from stove to table and back again. They were at ease with one another as they had not been since Emlyn Jones's death which had coincided with the start of Ianto's physical relationship with Jack. Now the secret of that relationship had been swept away and mother and son had broken the habit of a lifetime by speaking of their feelings in some depth. Her anxieties for him had been soothed and he had found solace in speaking openly of his love for Jack. He wished he could also tell her the truth about his job but it was better she know nothing about Torchwood.

Over the meal, Mrs Jones said, "Can we talk about Rhiannon? I know she was being spiteful last night, and I've told her what I think of that, but it did bring everything out into the open. Will you forgive her? For my sake if not for hers."

He did not reply immediately, considering his feelings for his sister. "Honestly? I don't know, Mam. She wanted to cause trouble between us. Hoped to make you cut off all contact with me. It's a lot to forgive."

"Will you try?" When he did not reply she went on thoughtfully, "Tad and I were so pleased when you won that scholarship but, looking back, I think we were wrong to let you go. It's driven you and Rhi apart."

"You mustn't think that! It was the best decision you ever made. I'd never have got such a good education at the grammar school or gone on to university." _Nor met Jack_, he added to himself.

"I'm pleased for that, of course I am, but you must see that's where this … rivalry started. You're the clever one, Ianto, can't you be the one to take the first move to end it?"

"I try, Mam. Every time I come home I want to but then …" He sighed. "She just rubs me up the wrong way. Deliberately. But I'll try again if that's what you want." At this moment he couldn't deny his mother anything.

"Thank you, cariad. It tears me apart to see my two children at odds like this. Maybe the wedding and the baby will help."

"Maybe." He became lost in thoughts of all that Rhiannon had by right – marriage, children – and which he and Jack were denied. They were sidelined and forced to keep their love secret from most people for fear of prejudice.

"What is it?" asked Mrs Jones when he had been silent for several minutes.

"I wish … I wish I could marry Jack. Have children. I always wanted children."

"Oh, love, come here." She went round the table and held his head to her breast as she had when he was small, rocking back and forth. "Times will change, you'll see. People will understand that your love is just as real."

"Not in my lifetime."

-ooOoo-

Gwen was a little early for her lunch date and paused to look in Howell's window. The Christmas sleigh and elves looked out of place alongside the banners stuck to the windows announcing the sale. Inside the shop she could see women going through the stacked goods looking for a bargain. That would be her tomorrow. She had promised to 'do' the sales with her mam who wanted to stock up on towels and other household linen. No doubt she would press Gwen to buy some too to put in her bottom drawer which so far comprised two tea towels and a lacy tray cloth. _Poor Mam, she so wants me to get married,_ thought Gwen with a smile.

Moving through the crowds Gwen wondered about marriage. She had been with Rhys for over four years and did love him in her way. They spent most weekends together, unless she was working, and she often slept over at his flat in Butetown. Why was she waiting? So far she had professed to being too young or the demands of the job but these were hackneyed excuses. The real reason was not wanting to be tied down to one man. She didn't love Rhys enough to be content with only him but loved him too much to be a bad wife when he deserved so much better. There was no other reason why they shouldn't marry. They both had good jobs and her father had hinted that he would help them with a mortgage if they wanted to buy a house. Was it worth taking the risk?

"Hello, sweetheart." Warm arms wrapped round her from behind and she smelt motor oil and Brut. It could only be one man.

"Let me go, Rhys. You could be had up for assaulting a police officer." She was still in uniform but it was mostly covered by her cape.

"Only if you give me a kiss." Warm breath on her neck was followed by cold lips.

She turned in his arms and gave him a quick kiss. If it got back to her sergeant she'd been canoodling with a man while in uniform she'd be for a rocket. "There. Now, no more of this. I'm starving and I've got to be back at work soon."

They talked as they walked to the Wimpy Bar. He related news of his family and said how much he had missed her. She told him about the pantomime and her parents' Christmas Eve drinks party. Owen's sudden appearance amongst them was not mentioned until they were eating hamburgers. Rhys was surprised she had attended the rugby match with him. When Owen had dumped Toshiko, Gwen had placed all the blame on him and supported her unquestioningly. When Gwen then told him of the confrontation out at Sully he silently cheered Ianto for putting her straight. There were two sides to all relationships and neither had a monopoly on the truth.

They were still talking when it was time to leave. Rhys walked with her until their ways parted. "Go careful, love," he said.

"Only paperwork this afternoon. See you tonight, seven o'clock. Don't be late." He was eating with the Coopers that evening.

"I won't." He kissed her briefly then walked off.

She watched him for a moment or two then headed off for the station. In five hours she would be free of work for four days and able to catch up with Jack, Ianto and Tosh. Which reminded her to telephone and find out what had happened with Rhiannon the night before. Perhaps this afternoon if there was quiet moment. She could also make some plans to meet up. Rhys was working and her mother would be content with the shopping trip so she was free to join them any time during the day at least.

Back at her desk in the offices at the back of the building, she started on the reports that needed checking. She'd not been at it long when she was requested by DI Henderson. "You wanted me, sir?"

"You're Cooper? Come with me, need your help with a case." The burly man rose and she noticed again his huge hands holding the file. They left the office and he briefed her as they walked. "Attempted murder case. Divorced man attempted to off his ex-wife and son with a shotgun. Most likely he was going to top himself afterwards. Prevented by a young woman who hit him over the head with a golf club."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Interview the woman who prevented it. Shouldn't be difficult, you know her." He stopped outside Interview Room One. "She's next door. I'll be with the wife."

Left alone, Gwen took a deep breath. Who could it be? Entering Interview Room Two, she stopped in surprise when she saw Toshiko sitting at the bare table. "Tosh, what the heck happened!"

"I stopped a murderer."

* * *

><p><em>Good old Tosh, she's a marvel. She gets closer to Mary in the next chapter. It'll all end in tears ...<em>


	10. On the Spot

_Time to rejoin the friends. Tosh and Gwen are at the police station and Jack is tired of Owen ..._

* * *

><p><strong>Five Go Mad at Christmas<strong>

Chapter Ten: On the Spot 

At one o'clock Jack had had enough. He went upstairs and rousted Owen from bed. "Get up. It's lunchtime and you've lain in this pit long enough." Flinging the covers back, he walked to the window and opened it wide. Cold air rushed in. "Come on, up!"

"Leave me alone." Owen curled into a ball, lying on his side, and kept his eyes closed. If he didn't see daylight he could pretend it was okay to stay where he was.

"I said, up!" With a hand under Owen's crossed arms, Jack hauled him upright. "Bathroom for a wash and shave then lunch." He let go and watched in disgust as Owen fell bonelessly back onto the mattress. "It won't work. I am not Ianto. I do not feel sorry for you."

Moments later Owen was lifted into the air and carried bodily into the bathroom. The shock of being placed on the cold, tiled floor made him open his eyes. "Why can't you bleeding leave me alone!"

Ignoring him, Jack ran hot water into the basin and set out an electric razor before sitting on the toilet. "I'm not leaving until you shave and wash."

"I need to pee."

"Later. Go on, while the water's still hot."

Muttering under his breath, Owen stood up. It was too cold to stay on the floor dressed as he was in only underpants and a T-shirt. Glaring at Jack, he reluctantly used the razor and did a reasonable job of removing his stubble. Washing hands and face afterwards, he felt better but refused to admit as much to Jack. "I still need that pee."

Jack stood up and moved aside but did not leave the room.

"You going to watch?"

"I'm not letting you out of my sight. And it's not like I haven't seen you pee before." Jack rinsed the basin and spread the flannel out to dry. Ianto had trained him well.

Fifteen minutes later Owen sat the kitchen table sullenly watching Jack warm up vegetable soup. The smell was enticing and hunger gripped Owen; his last food had been a sandwich the evening before. He reached out for a hunk of bread and broke off a piece to chew wondering how he had come to this pass. Drink gave him oblivion but also ate into the days. It had been three days since Katie's death and he had done absolutely nothing about it. He'd not notified their friends, made arrangements for the funeral or started investigating her death. Why had he wasted so much time?

"Here. Eat." Jack put down the bowls of soup and sat down.

Eating in silence, except for the occasional slurp, Owen concentrated on all that needed to be done. Ianto had made a list – was it yesterday or the day before? Owen couldn't remember but he knew there was a list somewhere. And his cousin had also agreed to help investigate. They had to start as soon as possible; the authorities might have started destroying evidence. His spoon scraped against the china bowl and he looked down; the soup had gone. He must have been hungry.

"Any left?" he asked.

"On the stove."

Filling his bowl again, Owen resumed his seat and crumbled bread into the soup. "Where's Ianto?"

"At his mom's. Why?"

"Just wondered." He took some soup, eating more slowly this time and savouring the rich flavour. "And Tosh?"

"Out with a friend." Pushing back his chair, Jack got up and went to the stove for a refill. "Someone called Lorna." Owen knew Toshiko better than any of them except Gwen, he would know her friends. "You know her?"

"Never heard of her. There anything else to eat?" The second bowl of soup was almost gone and he was still hungry.

"Check the fridge. Bread's a bit stale but there's plenty of turkey for a sandwich."

Refusing the offer of a sandwich himself, Jack watched Owen prepare a doorstep loaded with meat and pickles and then scoff it down. Clinically he wondered if hunger was an effect of the booze, in any case it would help mop it up. Owen's complexion was still pale but he was more alert, his eyes brighter if a little bloodshot, and clearly his mind was kicking into gear. He had asked after Ianto for a reason and that could only be because he wanted to start looking into Katie's death.

"I ought to talk to the hospital," said Owen. Crumbs littered the table in front of him and he made patterns in them. "Check in with me supervisor."

"They've given you compassionate leave. I told you."

"Still ought to phone 'em."

"Okay. You know where it is."

"Right." Standing, Owen ignored the dirty pots and the mess on the table and went out to the hall to make his call.

Relieved he had chosen that telephone, Jack stood behind the half-open kitchen door and listened to the conversation. Owen was his charge and he took the responsibility seriously.

-ooOoo-

"You heard him muttering about killing someone. That right?" asked Gwen.

"Umm. He passed me in the street, outside Woollies, and I heard him. Didn't think much of it at the time but then it hit me what he'd said. I followed him."

"Taking a bit of a risk. He had a shotgun."

"I didn't know that then. He had a bag but it didn't look anything special." Toshiko tried to sound convincing and wished it was anyone other than Gwen taking her statement. Gwen knew her too well and would spot when she was lying.

"And you followed him into the house. Saw the gun, took a club from a golf bag and hit him over the head?"

"When you put it like that it sounds weird, I know, but it didn't at the time." Toshiko leant forward, forearms on the table between them. "I thought he was dangerous and when he left the front door open and stopped in the hall I … well, I wanted to see if I was right or not. I could hear a woman talking, yelling really, and there was a young boy. That was when I saw the gun and knew he meant what he'd been thinking … saying," she corrected. "I couldn't just stand by. The golf bag was there and I grabbed a club and whacked him with it. Is he badly hurt?" He had been removed from the house unconscious.

"I don't know. And afterwards?" Gwen was making notes ready for drawing up the formal statement. It was all incredible but Toshiko sounded sincere. Most of the time.

"The woman was hysterical and the boy shocked. I phoned for the police and made a cup of tea."

"The bloke was out cold then?"

"Oh, I did check his pulse. I hadn't hit him hard but … It suddenly occurred to me he could be dead." Her hands began to shake.

"You need some tea yourself." Gwen reached across and clasped the shaking hands. "You did a fantastic job, Tosh. Saved two people's lives. I'm really proud of you. Now, sit here for a minute while I get some tea and the proper forms. I'll find out about the bloke too."

Outside, she found DI Henderson watching a woman and young boy leave the station in the company of a uniformed constable. "They're off home. Got the statement?"

"Just got to write it up properly. Toshiko wants to know about the man she hit. Is he okay?"

"Apparently. He was still out of it when PC Surtees got to the house but the hospital says he's come round now. Got a bit of concussion and can't be moved yet. He's under guard there until we can get him to the cells. Your girl a good witness?"

"Oh yes. She'll be solid." Too many cases collapsed when witnesses were unconvincing in court. "Can she leave when we've done the statement?"

"Yes. She did a good thing today, a very good thing. Make sure you tell her so." He went off to his office.

Gwen went to her desk and made a quick telephone call before going back to the interview room with two cups of tea.

-ooOoo-

The bus made its sedate way from Penarth to Sully along the coastal road. The sunshine was fading but the few passengers were cheered for sight of it. Welsh people knew they had to make the most of all the good weather they got and sunshine in December was exceptional. Ianto sat towards the back of bus, the seat beside him loaded with bags. He had left his mother at the grocer's where she worked and visited the other shops in the small parade buying a fresh loaf, milk, lardy cake, bottles of vodka and whisky to replace those Owen had drunk and a newspaper. Toting the bags, he got off the bus and walked the short distance to the Sato house.

As he walked, he thought how content his mother had been. Since being widowed, she had made a new life that occupied her days and brought in some money to bolster her limited finances. He had quizzed her gently about Rhiannon and Johnny's wedding plans and was relieved they were not expecting her to contribute. She had enough to get by on with some over but was not able to pay for an elaborate wedding. As to what happened after the wedding, no one knew for sure. Hopefully they would get a council place, probably on one of the new estates being built in Cardiff. Once Rhiannon moved out, Ianto realised his mother would be all alone except for her student lodger. He didn't like to think of her on her own in the evenings and wondered what he could do about it.

He was still thinking this when he put his key in the door, glad Toshiko had given both him and Jack one. Jack was on the telephone in the hall.

"Okay, Gwen. Yeah, I'll be there in about half an hour. And you're sure she's all right? Fine. See you then." Jack replaced the receiver. "You'll never guess what's happened."

"What?" Ianto was removing his coat.

"Toshiko just stopped a murder."

"She what!"

Ten minutes later, Jack slammed the door behind him and went off to Cardiff. Ianto, still amazed at the news, finished putting away his purchases and went in search of Owen who had taken the newspaper and made himself scarce. He found him in the living room, newspaper open in his lap but staring into the fire.

"You look better." Ianto sank into the chair opposite.

"Feel it. Ianto, we've got to get cracking, find out who killed Katie." He folded the newspaper and dropped it on the floor. "You made a list."

"Umm, it's upstairs, but that was more about funeral arrangements and such."

"We've got to do that too but it's not urgent. I talked to the hospital. There's got to be a post-mortem -" He swallowed hard and looked away until he could compose himself again; he hated the thought of her being cut up. "They can't do that until Monday. And they've written to all the students in our year to tell them so we can start on the other stuff."

"Are you ready for that? Owen, it's only been a few days and –"

"We have to! They'll destroy the evidence if we leave it much longer. We've got to get back to London and start asking questions." He looked pointedly at his cousin. "You said you'd help."

"And I will. But I'm more concerned about you right now. You've been drinking too much and not looking after yourself. It has to stop." Talk of returning to London alarmed him; they had to keep Owen away from Torchwood One's clutches for as long as possible.

Unable to sit still, Owen got up and paced from fire to window and back again running a hand through his hair. "You don't know what it's like. Whenever I close my eyes I see her … lying there. I can't bear it!"

"You can't drink yourself unconscious every night to avoid it either!" Ianto stood up and pulled Owen to a stop. "Please, Owen, there has to be another way."

"I can't cope without it," Owen admitted.

"I'm no expert, but if you start relying on booze now you'll never be able to stop. You have to face your loss, however hard that is, and find a way of living with it. Remember the good times with Katie."

Owen pulled away and walked to the French windows, looking out on the bleak garden and the sea beyond. "It's not that easy."

"Nothing worthwhile ever is. Get your coat."

"Huh?"

"Get your coat. You need fresh air and so do I. It'll clear our heads and make you tired enough to sleep naturally. Go on."

-ooOoo-

Toshiko signed each page of her formal statement. "Can I go now?"

"Yeah. You'll be contacted when we've got a court date."

"Will it be soon?" She put on her coat and hat and picked up her shoulder bag.

"Couple of months at least, probably longer." Gwen opened the interview room door and held it for Toshiko to walk through. "Don't overdo it tonight, you've had a shock."

"I'm fine."

"I doubt that. Look, I can't get out of dinner tonight – Rhys is coming round – but you could join us. We could –"

"Thanks but I really will be fine." Toshiko smiled and headed for the outer door only then noticing a familiar figure. "Jack, what are you doing here?"

"I called him," said Gwen quickly. "You shouldn't be alone right now."

"You are quite the heroine, Toshiko Sato." Jack came forward and hugged her.

"I didn't do anything special," she replied, extricating herself. "Bye, Gwen. Thanks."

"I'll call you in the morning." Gwen watched as Toshiko walked quickly out of the building. "There is something wrong with that girl. Go after her, Jack. Make sure she's okay."

"Will do." He strode out and had to jog to catch up with Toshiko who was walking fast up the street. "Slow down, Tosh. Where's the fire?" He caught her arm.

Slowing a little, she said, "I'm really fine. Gwen's fussing, like she always does."

"Hey, it's not every day you prevent a murder." He pulled her a halt. "Let's get a coffee, you can tell me all about it."

"Can't. I'm late for Sandra. I told you I was meeting her."

"Thought it was Lorna." He noted how she did not meet his gaze, looking anywhere but at him.

"Her too. Please, Jack, just go home."

There was no point arguing with her; she could be stubborn when she chose. "Fine. When will you be in?"

"I don't know. Late, I expect."

"Call us when you're on your way. Please. We worry about you, Tosh." He stroked a thumb down her cold cheek. She smiled then, a genuine smile that reminded him of less complicated times.

"All right, I'll phone you." She turned and walked away, gobbled up in the crowd within seconds, and made it to the café just in time.

Mary was at a back table, nursing a cup of tea and looking at her watch. She waved when Toshiko entered and watched her get a drink at the counter. "I thought you weren't coming," she said when Toshiko joined her.

"I got caught up with the police." She told her everything that had happened, from the experiment with the pendant to overhearing a potential murderer and stopping him. By the time she had finished, she was flushed and animated.

"Well done! I bet your friends were impressed."

Toshiko shrugged. "More concerned than impressed. They think I'm a wimp who needs looking after. _You've had a shock. We worry about you. _That's all they could say."

"They don't know you at all."

Glancing up, Toshiko met Mary's gaze and saw admiration there. And perhaps something more. Could it be love? She wanted, needed, to find out. "Can we go somewhere? Somewhere we can be alone?"

Mary smiled slowly. "Just what I was thinking. Are you wearing the pendant?"

"No! I wouldn't do that to you, not unless …"

"Unless?"

"You said it was all right."

"Put it on." Mary waited until the pendant was round Toshiko's neck. "Now, read my thoughts."

Toshiko tuned out the other people in the café and concentrated on Mary. She started with the strength of the feelings being expressed and a blush coloured her cheeks. "That's pretty graphic," she said finally.

"My place is just round the corner. Let's go."

-ooOoo-

Dusk was late in arriving that evening, delayed by the good weather, but it came eventually. Ianto and Owen were still out on the beach, some way from the Sato house, having tramped up as far as the car park and the small viewing area. The reflected moonlight from the water lit their way home and Ianto did not need the torch he had put in his pocket, at least not yet.

"So we're agreed?" he said.

"Yeah. I'd rather get on with it but … well, there doesn't seem to be much option."

"I can't make enquiries until I'm back at work. Finding a way to access the records is going to be hard enough as it is."

"I see that. I'm not being awkward, mate. Just … disappointed that's all."

Owen walked with hands in his pockets and shoulders hunched. The brief spurt of energy and resolve was dissipating when faced with another delay. Other considerations had also dampened his mood. London, his home and workplace, was going to be very hard to face without Katie there beside him. More delays were not going to make it any easier. He imagined the hospital lecture rooms, wards and canteen without her and felt the pain of loss growing in his chest. Even his flat held too many memories of her. Changing flats was relatively easy but the hospital was another matter. Could he face another year there until the academic work was complete? These thoughts went round and round in his head, confusing him. He needed a drink.

"We'll go back to London as planned on the first and I'll start working on this straightaway. Besides, we can't abandon Tosh. She's all on her own."

Grateful for the change of subject, he asked, "She really stop a killer?"

"Apparently. Can't wait to find out the details." Ianto smiled at the thought of petite Toshiko tackling a man set on killing his wife. If the news hadn't come from Gwen he wouldn't have believed it. "She and Jack should be back by now, let's go and get the whole story."

Ianto was content with the outcome of his chat with Owen. They had gone over what had happened to Katie – Owen's version - exhaustively and discussed how they could prove it. Gradually Owen had accepted that enquiries had to made carefully and discreetly if they were to uncover the truth. The Londoner had also, reluctantly, begun to accept that his memory might be flawed, that shock and grief might have muddled fact with imagination. All in all, Ianto was pleased with what he had achieved that afternoon.

The house was dark as they entered the garden, the torch lighting up the path. "That's odd," said Ianto. "Why aren't the lights on?"

"Could be sitting in the dark."

"What for?"

"Power cut?"

"The neighbours are okay." Lights blazed from the houses on both sides. They walked round to the front of the house which was also dark. "No cars."

"Then they're still out. Open up, I'm freezing." The temperature had dropped several degrees once night had fallen. The clear skies presaged a frost.

Inside it was obvious the house was empty. Owen went upstairs to draw the curtains and change his shoes while Ianto did the downstairs. His last task was light the fire to supplement the central heating. Owen found him standing looking at it, lost in thought.

"Jack's probably stayed with Tosh and her friend. Don't worry about him."

Ianto roused himself. "No, no I shouldn't. He can look after himself. I'll sort out dinner, they'll be hungry when they do get back." It was only when he was in the kitchen that he remembered the washing that was still waiting to be done.

-ooOoo-

The bed was warm from Mary's body. Toshiko rolled onto her front and lay where Mary had been, breathing in the strange musky perfume. It was luxurious to lie surrounded by her lover's smell. Her lover. Having only a sketchy idea of what lesbian love entailed, Toshiko had followed where Mary led, her body responding to each touch and kiss and reaching new heights of satisfaction. Mary knew exactly how to play the female body to give the most pleasure and Toshiko had been a grateful recipient. Sex with men, even Owen, was mechanical and all too brief when compared to Mary's attentions. The bed dipped and warm lips and nose nuzzled at the top of Toshiko's spine before a series of butterfly kisses traced the backbone down to the coccyx. She gasped with pleasure.

"Bathroom's free now." Mary stood, refastening the large towel around her.

"Oh." Brought down to earth with a bump, Toshiko propped herself up and looked across to Mary. She was now sitting in an armchair lighting a cigarette. "I thought I might … stay."

"Not tonight, Tosh."

When Mary did not elaborate, Toshiko nodded. "Okay to have a quick shower?"

"Sure." Mary appeared bored and stared into the distance.

Not quite sure what was happening, Toshiko wrapped a sheet round her and went to the adjoining bathroom. Mary had seemed so loving, emotionally as well as physically, that this sudden change made no sense. Had she been using Toshiko? Under the hot shower, Toshiko recalled a one-night stand with Colin. He had been attentive until after they'd had sex when he made an excuse and left. She had felt used, especially as he had not asked her out again. _Unless_, she thought, _I'm a lousy lover_. Back in the bedroom, she dressed hastily, her back to Mary.

"You are a great lover," said Mary from the chair. "It's just I have other commitments tonight."

"How do you do that?" The pendant lay on the bedside cabinet, Mary was not using it but had still managed to read Toshiko's thoughts.

Mary smiled, stubbed out her cigarette, and rose. "You are as honest and open as the day. I don't need this," she picked up the pendant, "to read you. Here, let me put in on."

Wearing the pendant, Toshiko heard Mary thinking, _'You are beautiful, Tosh, and I want to fuck you again. Tomorrow?'_

There could be no mistake, no one could falsify their subconscious thoughts. Toshiko giggled, blushed and ducked her head. "Yes."

Mary saw her down to the outer door of the block of flats and kissed her goodbye. She stood watching Toshiko walk away through almost empty streets on this dark night at the end of December. When she turned at the corner for one last look back, Mary blew her a kiss before going back inside.

Wending her way through familiar streets, Toshiko saw a telephone box and went in. There were three rings before Ianto answered. "Hi, it's me. Just to say I'm on my way back. Should be home in half an hour or so."

"_Okay. See you then." _

"Bye."

The Rover was in the central car park where Toshiko had left it. It started first time despite standing for so long in the cold and she turned up the heater to its highest, shivering until it started to blow out warm air. Putting the car in gear, she headed home. She had no idea she was being followed.

* * *

><p><em>Is Tosh getting in too deep with Mary? Will it work out well or not? All will be revealed in forthcoming chapters ...<em>


	11. Meeting New People

_Matters are starting to come to a head as Mary gets closer to Tosh_** ...**

* * *

><p><strong>Five Go Mad at Christmas<strong>

Chapter Eleven: Meeting New People

"I'm just saying you could have rung," said Ianto. "You go off after lunch and don't turn up again until seven in the evening. Anything could have happened."

"I wish. I lost track of time, that's all. And besides, I did ring and you weren't here."

"And why are you so cold? Lloyd make you stand outside?"

"The car wouldn't start. Had to do some jiggery-pokery to the engine." Jack was standing close to the stove, letting the heat of the pots simmering on the top warm his chilled bones.

"You two are like an old married couple," said Owen with a laugh. He was sitting on the kitchen table, legs dangling, drinking a glass of cider.

"Humph," snorted Ianto. He was not happy that Jack had stayed out all afternoon with Lloyd, an old school friend of them both. He looked up from the pot he was stirring when he heard a car outside. "That must be Tosh. Owen, get the drinks out."

"Hi, guys," said Toshiko entering the kitchen. "Something smells good."

"Turkey curry. It's Mam's recipe but I've had to adjust it a bit to fit what we had in the cupboard. It's about ready."

"Great. I'm starved." She beamed at them all wondering if they could tell she had come straight from Mary's bed. The pendant lay in her pocket but she was not even tempted to wear it and find out. _I don't care if they can,_ she thought.

"You really stop a killer?" asked Owen, loading a tray with bottles of beer.

"Yes, I did. Let me help you with that." The pair of them disappeared into the dining room laden with bottles.

"That's the first time she's been relaxed round Owen," commented Ianto thoughtfully.

"First time she's looked so happy too." Jack finally left the warmth of the stove. "Let's get this food on the table, I'm dying to hear her story."

The meal was delicious and the boys listened in growing admiration to Toshiko's account, praising her actions. Conversation widened to other topics and the four lingered at the table over the cheese and biscuits. They had several beers each with the food and finished with Irish coffee and Tia Maria. Dispatching Ianto and Owen to the living room, Jack and Toshiko insisted on clearing up. When the last plate had been dried and put away, they joined the others lounging in front of the television.

"What are we going to do tomorrow?" asked Ianto lazily. "Is Gwen coming over?"

"She's shopping with her mum in the morning," said Toshiko from the armchair. "Doubt they'll be finished until well after lunch."

"We ought to go somewhere. We've been stuck indoors most of the holiday."

"What about that museum? The one with all the houses. That open?" asked Owen. He was nursing a vodka tonic, trying not to drink too quickly. He'd promised Ianto not to overdo it tonight. Fortunately the atmosphere was congenial and he had plenty to take his mind off Katie.

"St Fagans. That's a good idea. Jack?"

"Why not. What do you say, Tosh?" He looked over her. "You don't need to if you've got something else planned."

She glanced at him sharply. It almost sounded like he knew she was going to excuse herself but his expression was no more than mildly interested. "Lorna and I are meeting for lunch, might go shopping too."

"Be a boys' day out then," said Jack. "Want to go out for a meal in the evening? Or we could have a party."

"A party?" queried Ianto dubiously.

"Yeah," continued Jack warming to the idea. "We can ask Lloyd and some of the gang from college. They're all around apparently. Then there's Tosh's friends and Gwen and Rhys will have plenty. Be a great do!"

"I don't know." Ianto was considering the mess and the expense.

"How about it, Tosh?"

"I'm not too keen." She was not sharing Mary with them, at least not yet, and would have to find an excuse for her imaginary other friends.

"Owen, surely you're up for it," pleaded Jack.

He shrugged. "Long as there's plenty of booze." Seeing other couples happy together would drive him into a bottle quicker than anything else.

Ianto did not like the sound of that. "I'd much rather we had a quiet meal, just the five of us and Rhys."

They discussed the possibilities some more and left it in the air until they had spoken to Gwen. Given the time, ten fifteen, Ianto advised them to wait until the morning hoping the delay would also temper Jack's enthusiasm. Half an hour later, Toshiko went up to bed. Owen followed not long after, still too sober for comfort but with one of Jack's joints to dull the pain. He had refused a sedative. Jack and Ianto cuddled together on the couch and finished watching Hitchcock's _Strangers on a Train_. Only when it was over did Jack say where he had really been all afternoon.

-ooOoo-

"I had hoped for a lie in," said Gwen. "Yet here I am, nine thirty in the morning and already at the shops."

"Blodwyn Clarke said sheets were going fast," replied her mother. "I want a new set for all the beds if I can get them." Mrs Cooper was a determined shopper who made lists of what she wanted and where to find it, planning her trip accordingly. Howells was top of the list for bedding and towels.

"The press is full of sheets," protested Gwen. The two women were walking fast, keeping pace with similarly-determined housewives.

"You can never have enough as you'll know when you've got your own place." She sidestepped to avoid a pushchair. "Rhys was on good form last night."

_Very subtle,_ thought Gwen with a silent groan. Dinner the night before had been a trifle formal but Rhys had grown used to the Coopers' ways and fitted in easily. If he noticed the hints about marriage he didn't react, concentrating on his food and bringing them up to date with happenings in his parents' village. He had visited Trecastle Farm too and had news and greetings from Uncle Bryn and Aunt Nerys to pass on. Only Gwen had squirmed when her mother persisted in talking about Rhiannon Jones's wedding plans and the baby to come. Mrs Cooper hoped Gwen would be properly married before getting pregnant but so longed for grandchildren she wouldn't object to it being the other way round. Gwen's plans for her career were brushed aside as irrelevant when set against starting a family. _If only she knew that pressing me to get married is making me want to do the opposite, _thought Gwen.

The inside of Howells looked like a bomb had hit it. Goods were piled high on every available surface and large red notices hung down saying 'Prices Slashed' and '50% Off' making the place look even more untidy. This was the third day of the sale and the headline bargains had already gone – the mink coats for £50 and three piece suites for £40 - but there was plenty left to rummage through. After securing five pairs of sheets, Mrs Cooper moved on to kitchenware while Gwen went upstairs to fashion. In half an hour she found and bought a pair of boots, a winter coat and a shoulder bag, all at large discounts. Flushed with this success, she rejoined her mother for a restorative cup of coffee and a bun.

It was coming up to midday and they were out of Howells when Gwen saw Toshiko. She was waiting to cross the road, standing close to and laughing with a stranger, a slightly taller blonde girl. They were so wrapped up in one another that they didn't spot Gwen staring at them. Toshiko was animated, much happier than she'd been for ages. She looked as if she was in love. In love with the blonde?

"Gwen, dear, you all right?" asked Mrs Cooper. She had been consulting her list and not seen Toshiko.

"Uh, yeah. Give me your bags, Mam, I'll take them back to the car. Meet you outside BHS in ten minutes."

Hands full of bags, Gwen hastened after Toshiko who was walking in the general direction of the car park. Matching her pace with theirs, Gwen hung back and observed the pair. They were openly holding hands. Was this the new love Toshiko had referred to on Boxing Day? Were all Gwen's friends turning homosexual? Was she the only normal one left? Deciding on the direct approach, Gwen slipped into an alley and almost ran down a parallel road which would bring her out beside Toshiko. When she rejoined the main street, slightly out of breath, she couldn't see the two girls. Scanning the crowd she finally spotted them looking in the window of a shoe shop. She approached casually.

"Tosh, hi. Looking for boots? I got some great ones in Howells." Her tone was high pitched and full of false jollity. With a fixed smile, she eyed up the stranger.

"Gwen! Just looking." Toshiko's manner was as artificial as her friend's; this was not how she had wanted to introduce Mary. "Umm, this is Mary." She tried to pull her hand free but the other girl tightened her grip.

"Hello, Mary, nice to meet you." Gwen felt her facial muscles straining as she maintained the false smile. "So … how did you two meet? Known each long?"

Mary's amused smile broadened. "We met at the pantomime. But it doesn't take long to fall in love."

Toshiko blushed and tried to hide her smile. Gwen was always direct and Mary was playing her at her own game. For the first time since she had received it, Toshiko wished she was wearing the pendant and could eavesdrop on Gwen's thoughts.

"No … ah, I guess not. Are you coming to the meal tonight?" Jack had telephoned early to put forward his plan for a party but Gwen had also preferred a meal.

"Meal? I haven't been invited." Mary turned her amused gaze to Toshiko and raised an eyebrow. "Yet."

"I thought you'd be busy," stammered Toshiko. She really did not want Mary to meet the others.

"You'd be very welcome," went on Gwen. "Please come."

"We'll see," said Toshiko firmly. She was relieved when Mary didn't press the issue. They needed to talk privately. "Where's your mum?" she asked Gwen.

"Waiting for me. Taking these back to the car," she raised the bags, "so we can get some more."

After a few more meaningless pleasantries, Gwen walked off. At the corner, she turned to look back and saw Toshiko and Mary looking at the menu of a Chinese restaurant. Gwen's mouth dropped open when - there in the street - they kissed on the lips before going into the restaurant. It took several minutes for Gwen to recover from the shock and continue to the car. She had to talk to Jack and Ianto as soon as possible and find out what they knew about this.

-ooOoo-

Tramping round St Fagans on a chilly December morning was purgatory for Owen. His head throbbed, his mouth was full of cotton wool and the rest of him ached. He trudged behind Jack and Ianto, concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other and resisting the urge to throw up.

Jack glanced over his shoulder. "He's really suffering."

"Good." Ianto refused to look back or to relent. Owen had promised not to drink yet had woken them at four in the morning, singing loudly with a bottle of whisky in his hand.

"I think you're being a bit hard."

"It's called being cruel to be kind. He goes on like this, he'll kill himself."

"Could just be a … stage in dealing with things. He's hurting, needs oblivion."

"Which he'll come to rely on! No, Jack, we have to stop this now." Ianto had already taken steps. All the alcohol in the house had been locked up and he had the only key. If Owen wouldn't or couldn't stop drinking by himself, Ianto had removed the means.

Recognising Ianto was not going to be moved, Jack dropped the subject. Their Christmas break was not turning out how he had hoped. They had had precious little time to themselves. Too few early nights and lie-ins for dabbling. No romantic moonlit walks on the beach. One of them had to babysit Owen at all times and now there was Toshiko to worry about.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to snap," said Ianto. He swayed into Jack and their shoulders touched, their equivalent of holding hands when in public.

"You're right. He needs to be careful. About time we headed back." He turned down one of the cross paths that led back to the entrance. "Come on, Owen, we're going home."

"Thank Christ for that," muttered the Londoner.

Back at the house they ate a late lunch of beans on toast with a poached egg on top and finished off the Christmas pudding. Owen ate the toast but not much else and excused himself as soon as he could, heading to the living room where he collapsed on the couch. Jack and Ianto were discussing plans for the afternoon while washing up when Gwen's car shot into through the gates.

"What's she doing here?" asked Ianto, peering out of the kitchen window.

"No idea." Jack went to the front door and let her in. "You okay?"

"Not really. I need to talk." She stomped into the kitchen, flinging her jacket and bag onto the table. "You will not believe what I've seen." In short, staccato sentences Gwen told them about her meeting with Toshiko and Mary. "They kissed! On the lips. In public. Even you two don't do that!"

"Not because we don't want to. Sit down." Jack pulled out a chair. "I've seen them together too."

"What! You never said!"

"Because I didn't want to pry."

"That's a first for him, by the way," put in Ianto. He was leaning against the sink, folding the tea towel.

"Where did you see them?" asked Gwen, ignoring Ianto.

"I followed Tosh yesterday, from the police station. She obviously wanted to get rid of me and, on top of a few other weird things she's been doing, it didn't feel right to let her go off alone. She met a blonde woman that sounds like your description of Mary in a restaurant then went with her to a block of flats in Bute Terrace. They stayed there for hours."

"And he stayed outside getting frozen!" interjected Ianto.

"Could hardly go in. Anyway, it was pretty clear they slept together."

Gwen gaped. "So it's her. Tosh told me that she'd met someone new, someone she loved. I never dreamt it was a woman, not then."

"Could explain why she lied about it," agreed Jack. "But …"

"He's got a bee in his bonnet," explained Ianto finally joining them at the table. "Reckons this Mary is up to no good."

"I didn't like her," admitted Gwen. "She was … smug, almost as if she was laughing at me. And at Tosh."

"You see," said Jack, wagging a finger at Ianto, "it's not just me."

"Humph. Question is, what are we going to do about it?" asked Ianto.

-ooOoo-

The flat in Bute Terrace was a warm oasis. Toshiko sat on the floor in front of the electric fire with an eiderdown over her nakedness lost in daydreams. Making love with Mary satisfied her completely and left her feeling … languorous, that was the only word to describe it adequately. Footsteps drew her gaze to the door and she smiled at the sight of the also-naked Mary coming towards her with two mugs of hot chocolate. She was beautiful. Wordlessly they snuggled together under the eiderdown and drank the chocolate. Toshiko had never been so happy.

-ooOoo-

It was incredible. During his childhood Ianto, like all the local kids, had played around the docks but had had no idea this base had been below his feet all the time. He felt dwarfed in the huge space and was intrigued by the various artefacts lying amongst more recognisable equipment. Even the smell of the base – salty dampness, exotic alien mustiness and old cooking odours – piqued his curiosity. It seemed a pot-pourri of mysteries to be uncovered. He wondered if he'd be able to wangle a short-term loan to explore its nooks and crannies, a week should do.

"You won't find much standing there."

Ianto started. "Sorry. You must get this reaction a lot."

"Not really," said Suzie. "Most visitors are on their way to the cells and don't have time to gawp. This way." She skirted a rectangular pool of water and headed for an archway.

Concentrating on where he was going, Ianto followed her. He plunged into brick corridors that felt like the tunnels of hell except for the electric lights placed at intervals in the ceiling. Doors were propped half-open leading to unlit rooms and two stone flights of steps led down. He rapidly revised his estimate; he'd need a lot longer than a week to explore this Hub.

"How many levels are there?" he asked.

"Not sure. I've never been below five but Alex reckons there's at least four more." She halted and pushed a door fully open, switching on a light. "In here."

She entered a large, low-ceilinged room crammed with filing cabinets and cupboards. They lined the walls and were double banked in three blocks in the centre of the room. Two desks faced the door, one holding stacks of files and trays of loose papers and the other a typewriter and telephone. A chair was pushed neatly under each desk.

"Our records. That is, the most recent ones. There's a lot more on the next level but you're most likely to find what you want in here." Suzie perched on the desk, one leg swinging. "What was that again?"

"Background on a woman called Mary. I've got an address and description."

"That's not much. What's she done?"

"Got friendly with Toshiko."

Suzie laughed. "You always check out her friends? And I thought I was paranoid!"

"Only when they act suspiciously." He moved round the desk and put his jacket on the back of the chair. He had very little to go on but Jack had convinced him to try and find out more. "Status logs?" he asked.

"Right behind you." She stood up. "I'll leave you to it. Oh, just one thing," she paused to get his full attention, "no wandering off. You stay in this room. Dial 1 when you want to leave and someone will come get you."

"Understood. Thank you." She left without replying and Ianto listened as her footsteps receded up the corridor. The room felt lonely without her and he shivered involuntarily.

A quick recce gave him a feel for the records; these archives were smaller than those in London but organised along similar lines. Settling down with the current status log, he flicked through the bound volume, skimming the contents. All information gleaned by Torchwood was summarised here with references to more detailed records held in the numerous filing cabinets. Finding mention of Mary was a long shot but one he and Jack had decided was worth a few hours' effort. The logs showed all the operations for the past month: nine routine Weevil captures, fourteen Rift openings, an artefact and body discovered at a building site and observation of one possible security threat, Owen. Nothing there to link with Mary, at least not on the surface. Ianto noted a few file references before checking the cross reference book for entries relating to 'Bute Terrace' and 'Mary'.

As he worked, he wondered how Gwen was getting on. She had decided for herself to check the police records for anything relating to Mary, confident the woman was up to no good. Ianto was not sure if this was because she had, in Gwen's words, 'turned Tosh into a lesbian' or out of concern for Toshiko's safety. He hoped the latter. Whatever the cause, it was a useful cover for his own research as she was likely to uncover similar information to him. Unless Mary turned out to be an alien. Ianto smiled, that was one possibility even Jack had not proposed and he was the most imaginative of the three of them. Voices and footsteps from the corridor shook Ianto from his musings. He looked up when a red-haired woman and a man in a white lab coat entered the room.

"You sure about that?" the woman was saying. "This is the, what?, sixth theory you've come up with."

"Just look it up." The man nodded to Ianto. "We won't be long."

"Do you want me to leave?" he offered.

"Wow, you sure you're from London? Never met a polite one before," replied the woman. She was at the card index. "You're okay, this will be another wild-goose chase."

"She has such confidence in me. I'm Dave, this is Claire."

"Jones, Ianto Jones. Nice to meet you." He went back to reading the file open on the desk before him.

Claire was speaking again. "I've got chest traumas and organ removal. Those do you?"

"It's a start. How many possibles?" asked Dave, moving to look over her shoulder.

"A few actually. Seem pretty regularly spaced out, about one a year going back to … the early 1900s." She looked up, less doubtful than before. "Could go all the way back to that body."

"Now she believes me! Come on, get the files out and we can wade through them."

-ooOoo-

Bute Terrace was a mix of Victorian and modern architecture but all the buildings now contained flats, either conversions or purpose built. Number 44 was ugly, constructed in the late 1950s when materials were scarce and need more important than good design. Cars lined most of both sides of the road, a sign that this was a relatively affluent neighbourhood.

"Tell me again why we're sitting here freezing our arses off," said Owen.

Jack did not reply immediately. He had parked down the street from number 44 behind a large van; he didn't want Toshiko to look out and spot them. Unfortunately, it also meant he did not have a great view of the building but he could see the front door and the black Rover parked opposite clearly illuminated by the streetlights.

"Jack?" prompted Owen but still got no reply. "I don't believe you lot! First, you take over my life and now you're doing the same to Tosh. We can look after ourselves!" He huddled further into his jacket. He had been dragged out of the house - the nice warm house - and after dropping Ianto off in a frankly nasty area of Tiger Bay, he had been stuck in the car with Jack getting colder and colder. Owen did not understand why Jack and Ianto had suddenly decided to spy on Toshiko and cared even less as night fell and he lost all feeling in his feet. "Can't we at least have the heater on?"

"No. Stop bellyaching."

Jack checked his watch. He was due to pick up Ianto around six which was half an hour away. Resuming his watch on the house, he went over what he had learnt from the door-to-door enquiries made earlier when it was still light. All the neighbours had recognised Mary but no one knew her well. One woman with a crying baby had said Mary went out a lot but never to a regular pattern. The same woman had seen her bring people back with her, young people, male and female.

At five fifty, when Jack was about to leave, Toshiko and Mary appeared and got into the Rover. He followed her … all the way to Tiger Bay.

* * *

><p><em>What are they all doing in Tiger Bay? Will Ianto and Gwen find anything in the records? All will be revealed in the next chapters ...<em>


	12. Research and Developments

_Mary reveals her true self. Will Toshiko survive?_

* * *

><p><strong>Five Go Mad at Christmas<strong>

Chapter Twelve: Research and Developments

The records of Cardiff's main police station were held in a series of basement rooms presided over by Sergeant Dai Jones. He was close to retirement and known more for the number of meat pies he consumed in a day than for his efficiency. Supervision was a notional term with him in charge, anyone could and did go into the rooms and take anything they wanted. The top brass turned a blind eye despite the exasperation of judges and prosecuting counsel when evidence could not be produced in court and cases were consequently dismissed. Gwen had walked straight past the sergeant and into the registry. Even in civilian clothes no one had queried her presence in the station on her day off, a fact which bothered her even as she used it to her advantage. There should be better security to protect evidence and personnel. _One day,_ she thought, _when a crazy with a grudge against the police has_ _run rampage, they'll do something about it_.

Two hours into her search Gwen had precious little to show for her efforts but what she had was puzzling.

She was very familiar with the records having spent many hours, most of them boring, entering, collating and retrieving information. With any enquiry the place to start was the bank of drawers containing the extensive card index of information gleaned on individuals, businesses and addresses. It covered one long wall from floor to ceiling and was the only resource on whose accuracy one could rely. The address in Bute Terrace had thrown up seven references and she checked the files – held in another room – spending an hour reading about past tenants of the block of flats. Four years earlier one of them, Richard Playle, had been murdered, found on wasteland in Splott with his heart missing, generating extensive enquiries. She almost missed the cursory interview with a Mary Arcan, Flat 2C, who professed not to know the dead man. So, the mysterious Mary had been in Cardiff at least four years.

Spurred on, Gwen had searched other files and almost got sidetracked into the murder enquiry which had been linked to other similar deaths but eventually fizzled out without finding the perpetrator. Now, looking through her notes, she knew that Mary had moved into Bute Terrace when it was built some ten years ago. How had she managed that? Landlords did not accept single female tenants, especially young ones, without male guarantors. She'd follow that up with the letting agent tomorrow. More important perhaps, where did the money come from to pay the rent? There was no trace of Mary working anywhere in the city. She might be living on private money but most of the wealthy families were well known and she wasn't related to any of them. Was she a prostitute? Or someone's mistress? Possible, but she had never come to the attention of the police and it was unlikely the man who kept her would accept a dalliance with Toshiko.

However, the final piece of evidence was the most puzzling. A Mary Arcan was living at Gladstone Road in 1935. She lived alone and had no children or employment. Her neighbour, Myra Bennett, had been murdered and 'organs removed' in the same way as Richard Playle. It was a strange coincidence and Gwen distrusted coincidences. Two women of the same name and circumstances lived near people who had been murdered in similar ways but twenty nine years apart. There should be a link but what? Was modern Mary the other woman's daughter? Were they murdering people? The absurdity of it made her laugh out loud.

A head appeared round the door. "Oh, it's you, Gwen. Thought I was on my own down here. You okay?"

"Umm. Going mad, I am."

"This place sends you that way." Yvonne leant against the doorjamb ready for a chat. "What you working on?"

"Just something that was bugging me from last week. Thought I'd do a bit of private research." She stood up and gathered her belongings. "Didn't get anywhere but you know what it's like when something gets into your head. Better be getting off now. Going out for a meal tonight."

"You tried that new Italian place on Queen Street? Pat and I went there before Christmas, nice it was."

Gwen finally extricated herself from the conversation ten minutes later and made her escape. As she walked along the dark and cold streets to her car, she wondered what Jack and Ianto would make of her information. There wasn't anything to prove Mary was a 'wrong-un' but Gwen couldn't shake the feeling that something was seriously amiss.

-ooOoo-

"Is this the one you mean?"

"Park over there, under the Players' sign." Mary pointed to a place to the right of a shop.

"The shop's closed," said Toshiko as she drove into the space. She was uneasy. Tiger Bay and the nearby docks were full of danger at night unless one stuck to the well-lit main streets. This place, surrounded by empty warehouses and almost totally dark, held a threat in every darkened alley and doorway.

"It's never fully closed. Come on."

"You want me to go with you!" Sitting alone in the car was scary but at least she could drive away.

"Sure." Mary watched her carefully. "You're scared."

"Of course, I am! It's dark. There's no one about. Anything could happen."

Mary laughed. "This is priceless. You really don't know. I was sure you did."

"What are you talking about? Look, Mary, I'm not hanging about here. We're supposed to be on our way home." She put the car in gear but Mary reached across and turned off the engine, keeping hold of the key. "Hey!"

"I need your help, Tosh. Be brave and come with me. Nothing will happen to you if you do as I say." She kissed Toshiko deeply then got out of the car.

Scared and confused, Toshiko sat for a moment before also leaving the car. Mary needed her, that was all that mattered. Toshiko loved and trusted her and would do all she could to help. Joining Mary at the passenger door, she followed her gaze to the dark frontage of a chandler's shop. "What now?"

"We go in." Confidently, Mary walked the few yards to the shop door and tried it.

"It's locked," pointed out Toshiko. "And we should lock the car if we're leaving it. Dad'll kill me if anything happens to it." She peered round anxiously, seeing car thieves lurking in every shadow.

"Ah yes, Dad." Mary's smile was calculating. "An interesting man."

"Huh? My dad? What .. I mean, how do you … What are you talking about?"

Ignoring her, Mary looked again at the door then up to the lamp hanging above it. The camera was well-concealed from mere humans but her keener sight saw it clearly. "Come here, Tosh." She held out an arm to gather the shorter woman to her side.

"No. I want to know you meant about – Ow!" Mary had her arm round Toshiko's neck and was holding her in front of her, like a shield. "You're hurting me!"

"I've come to get what's mine. Let me in or she dies." This was shouted in the general direction of the lamp.

A loud click broke the silence. Mary smiled, her plan had worked. Stepping forward, still holding Toshiko secure, she opened the door and entered the shop.

-ooOoo-

Ianto lifted the telephone receiver and dialled. He had found all he could from the records, which was more than he had expected, and it was time to go home and compare notes with Jack. Talking over what he had found with Suzie Costello might also be useful but Ianto didn't like to involve her without Jack's agreement.

"Yes?"

"I've finished. Suzie said to –"

"It's all right, come up on your own."

Ianto stared at the receiver. That had been Claire, a brusque and impatient Claire. It was none of his concern why she was out of sorts but it annoyed him; politeness cost nothing. Putting on his jacket, he placed his notes in an inside zipped pocket. He didn't want to lose them. Turning off the light, he walked along the corridor hoping he was going the right way; it would be very easy to get lost. Sooner than he had expected, he was through the archway and back in the huge bowl of the main level. His heart skipped a beat and he stopped to stare around once more. Where did all those walkways lead? What was behind the other archways? How did the strange artefact that looked like a bubble work? So many intriguing questions to be answered.

Moving across to the raised area with the desks he studied the four people gathered there. Suzie was pacing in front of Claire and Dave seated at desks. Another man whom Ianto had not met leant against the wall. They were having a meeting. Ianto stood irresolute at the bottom of the steps leading up. Should he interrupt them or just leave? Leaving was impolite and so he climbed the steps and tried to catch Claire's eye.

"What is it?" demanded Suzie. Her pacing had brought her to a halt in front of him.

"I just wanted to say thanks for –"

"Fine. Off you go then." She turned and barked out a question. "Over a hundred people killed by having their hearts ripped out? Why didn't we pick up on this before?"

Dave shrugged. "No reason why we should. The police investigated and realised the recent deaths were related but there weren't any clues as to how, why or who."

"Did you find what you wanted?" whispered Claire to Ianto. She had stood prior to letting him out of the base.

"Maybe," he whispered back. They went down the steps.

"But now we know one death is linked to the teleport and –" came Suzie's voice from above.

"Transport. There's no teleport technology involved and –" This was from the other man.

"Teleport, transport, what does it matter! It brought an alien here. A prisoner with a guard who either died on arrival or was killed. And the criminal alien has, in all likelihood, been living here ever since, feeding off human hearts. How do we find it? What are we looking for?"

Dave replied: "Energy being. Something that finds sustaining a human form difficult."

Ianto and Claire had reached the cog door when an alarm sounded. He thought it was the one associated with the door but it hadn't moved and the red lights weren't flashing. Claire ran back up the steps and Ianto slowly followed. Obviously something had happened to worry them. They were gathered round a small television screen. Curiosity drew him nearer.

"Who is that?" asked Suzie. "I need a better picture, Alex."

"I'm doing my best. You know the bloody camera's had it." He fiddled with some controls. "Two women. Don't recognise either of them."

"_I've come to get what's mine. Let me in or she dies."_ The peremptory demand sounded through tinny speakers.

Dave peered at the screen. "I think that's Mr Sato's daughter. What's her name?"

"Toshiko!" Ianto stood staring at the screen over the head of Alex who was seated.

"Is that her?" asked Suzie urgently.

"Yes. What's happening? Who's –"

"You're positive?" cut in Suzie. She didn't wait for a reply. "We can't endanger her. Besides, best place to sort this out is down here. Claire, open the door." She ran into the office and grabbed her gun, strapping on the shoulder holster. "I'll go up. You watch and listen. I'll try and find out more before bringing them down. Code Blue."

She was away through the cog door. Dave had crossed the lower level and was bringing out handguns and larger alien weapons. Claire put the base on alert and an eerie red glow replaced the bright white light. Alex moved to a bank of television screens and flicked on half a dozen all showing different images of the base. He brought the chandler's shop up on the central and largest screen surrounded by views of the staircase up which Suzie was climbing fast. She arrived in the shop at the same time Dave handed round weapons. Ianto took a pistol without thinking, gaze fixed on the picture of Toshiko held hostage by a crazy woman.

-ooOoo-

"What the hell!"

"Stay still!" hissed Jack.

He had not expected Toshiko to drive to the Torchwood base. When she'd left Bute Terrace with Mary, he had assumed she was on her way to Sully to get ready for their night out. Instead, she had entered Tiger Bay and ended up at exactly the place Jack was headed. He was here to pick up Ianto, he had no idea why she was here. Mr Sato had been at pains to ensure Jack and Ianto said nothing about Torchwood to Toshiko, stressing that she knew nothing of the organisation and least of all that Mr Sato was in charge in Cardiff. So why had she come? Parking far down the street in deep shadow, he had watched and waited until first Mary and then Toshiko had got out of the car and stood in front of the shop. When Mary had grabbed Toshiko and threatened her, Jack had been as surprised as Owen.

"She's attacking Tosh!"

"I can see that. Stay inside!" he growled. Jack flung an arm across Owen pinning him into the seat.

"We've got to help her!" Owen pushed against Jack's hold but couldn't get his arms free. "Let me go!"

"Wait!" Jack used all his body weight to hold Owen in place, not easy with the steering wheel digging into his stomach. "Well, well, well." The shop door opened and Mary and Toshiko went inside.

"What the hell is going on!" demanded Owen finally working free. "You know something! If this is one of your stupid mysteries and Tosh gets hurt I'll kill you!" The Londoner was furious and twisted to face Jack.

"When did you start caring for Tosh?"

"I've always cared for her! Just because we fell out of love –"

"We?" queried Jack.

"All right, me! I fell out of love with her. But that doesn't mean I don't care. Now, what the hell is going on?"

"I'm not sure but if what I think is going on is actually going on you won't believe me anyway."

There was only one reason for Mary to be here – to get into Torchwood – and what better way than by holding the boss's daughter hostage. But who was Mary and what did she want? An alien? Probably although she looked human. An alien wanting … something Torchwood had taken. Or found. He remembered his tour of the base, the only time he'd been inside, and the many weird and wonderful artefacts stored there. As well as the weapons. Good God, their armoury was full of human and alien hardware than could blow up the city. It also held someone very dear to him. Ianto was inside, sent there to do a research job when he could have been safe in Sully. Jack was already minded to lend a hand in whatever was going down but knowing Ianto was in the middle of it only made him more keen.

"So don't tell me," said Owen. "I'm going to help Tosh even if you're not."

"Any point me telling you to stay here?"

"No."

"Thought not. Okay, we both go in but," he paused for effect, "follow my lead. There's stuff inside that you shouldn't see. Stuff –"

"Shut up."

Owen had the car door open and was out before Jack could react. He didn't know why Jack was being so cautious but some of it rubbed off and he kept to the unlit side of the street. Jack came up behind him and they walked forward carefully, avoiding the tin cans and broken crates that might make a noise and betray their presence. Jack led them silently to the shop and gestured for Owen to wait. Pressing an ear to the door, Jack tried to hear what was going on inside.

-ooOoo-

The shop interior was in semi-darkness. Toshiko was held a little less tightly by Mary but the angle of her head meant she couldn't see much. She had only vague impressions of a substantial counter, items hanging from the ceiling and stacks of other goods piled around. The smell of paraffin reminded her of camping. Happier times. When the lights came on Mary turned quickly, fingers digging into Toshiko's neck and part-choking her. Toshiko gasped for air, blinking repeatedly until her eyes adjusted. This was a nightmare and for the first time she began to doubt Mary's intentions.

"Ah, Suzie Costello. How nice to see you," purred Mary.

Suzie ignored her. "Toshiko, everything will be fine. Just do whatever she says."

"Good advice. Take off the gun and then we'll go downstairs."

"You're not going anywhere until I know a heck of a lot more." The shoulder holster and gun were removed and placed on the counter. With arms crossed, Suzie faced Mary.

"Oh, I think I am." Light reflected off the blade of a sailor's knife just before Toshiko screamed. Blood flowed red over her collar and down the front of her coat.

"Not the most original approach."

"But effective. Turn round and lead the way or I'll blood her some more."

Suzie tried a shot in the dark. "Gonna tear her heart out and eat it?"

Mary's laugh chilled Toshiko to the core. It was evil. Where had the loving, thoughtful and caring Mary gone? Mere hours ago they had made love, a glorious defiance of society mores which satisfied them both, and later they had drunk chocolate. What had turned her into this evil woman who was hurting her? Toshiko could only find one explanation; she had made Toshiko love her on purpose, had used her. Ignoring the hurt, she listened to the other woman – Suzie – who appeared to know her even though they'd never met. Perhaps she was worth listening to because Toshiko certainly had no one else to help her. She felt very alone.

"Tosh has already given me her heart. Haven't you, darling?" The sultry words were accompanied by a brief kiss.

"Is that how you operate? Befriend someone and get close before killing them? Is that what happened to Richard Playle, Lucy Marmer and Mary Bennett?" The barb went home, Suzie saw Mary react to the names. This was the alien prisoner who had been living off Cardiff citizens for a hundred or more years.

"So you've done your homework, congratulations. Lead the way before I get hungry again." She gestured with the knife.

Recognising she'd get no more at this stage, Suzie smiled reassuring at Toshiko and turned. Walking slowly, she led the way through the storeroom and down the stairs. The longer she took, the longer her team would have to fix up a surprise for their unexpected guest.

"They're on the way," reported Ianto.

"What level?" asked Claire. She was at her desk sealing off the lower parts of the Hub. The armoury had already been secured and the most dangerous visible artefacts concealed.

"Two." Ianto was at the bank of screens and still not sure how he came to be there. Alex had jumped up, shoved him into the chair and explained a couple of controls before haring off.

"Shout out when they reach five. Boys, we have less than five minutes!" she shouted to Dave and Alex who were working in the lower level.

A desperate silence fell. The others were working feverishly against the clock but Ianto had little to do. He watched Suzie slowly descend the stairs. She was taking her time but Mary, behind with Toshiko between them, didn't appear to mind. The knife was in the hand that rested on Toshiko's shoulder very close – too close – to her neck for Ianto's comfort. Flicking through the other images, Ianto suddenly sat upright.

"Claire, open the shop door again." It had been locked earlier to stop Mary escaping. "Quickly!"

"Why?" She glanced his way, irritated.

"Jack's out there. He'll be able to help if we let him in." _And if we don't he'll kill himself trying to break down the door,_ thought Ianto but did not say.

The image on the screen that Ianto had pulled up by accident showed the outside of the shop. Owen was searching for something to use as a lever while Jack pushed against the door with all his weight but it was made of steel inside a wooden outer sheath and no amount of brute strength would get through it. It seemed Jack realised that too for he stopped and turned his face up to the lamp. In the black and white image, grainy and blurred as it was, Ianto saw the desperate plea in his face.

"The more the merrier," muttered Claire. She released the lock.

The click was loud. "We're in!" said Jack. "Come on." Cautiously they entered the shop which was once again dark. Jack stumbled over a sack of something hard and grunted, catching it before it fell and made a noise.

"Where are they?" whispered Owen. His night sight was good and he prowled amongst the piled goods until sure no one was lurking in the farther corners of the room. "There's no one here."

"Storeroom at the back. Careful." He pulled Owen back. "There are stairs, metal ones. We have to be very, very quiet."

"Quiet I can do." He yanked off his boots and set them down with a thud on the counter. "Let's go."

Dispensing with his own boots, Jack saw the gun and snatched it up. He caught up with Owen and managed to get ahead of him. He eased open the door to the stairwell and heard receding footsteps below as his eyes adjusted to the light. Finger to his lips, he stood on the top step and peered down. The three women were at the lowest level, about to go into the Hub proper. Gesturing for Owen to follow, they ran lightly down the stairs, keeping to the wall to minimise vibrations. Halfway down, Jack realised they were heading into a potentially dangerous situation for which they were ill-prepared and grinned. It was just like old times.

"So this is it," said Mary. "The mighty Hub we hear so much about. Not very impressive." She stalked around pushing Toshiko in front of her, the knife always in evidence.

"What do you want?" asked Suzie. She stood in the centre of the lower level, hands on hips. Under cover of watching Mary, she noted the armoury was locked down and the tunnels closed off. Only Claire and Ianto were visible on the raised area.

"To go home."

"Home?"

"Like Philoctetes, I've been stranded for too many years. I want to be among my own kind again."

These last words finally penetrated Toshiko's consciousness. She had been looking around with amazement. Up at the ceiling high above that was under the docks and the curved wall that, she reasoned, held back the Bristol Channel. Who had built it? And why? What did this Suzie do down here? Then Mary's words sank in.

"Your own kind?" asked Toshiko.

"Show her who you really are," prompted Suzie. She had spotted Dave up by the boardroom but there was no sign of Alex. "Show us all."

Wisps of grey-white light appeared around Mary and gradually her human form disappeared to be replaced by a tall, transparent alien figure. The light grew more intense until it settled into a glow highlighting floating spikes that grew out of 'her' head and torso. The hand that still gripped Toshiko's shoulder was now long-fingered and transparent like the rest of her body.

"Bloody hell!" said Owen.

* * *

><p><em>Things are not looking good for Tosh. Will Suzie and her team be able to contain Mary? What are Jack and Ianto going to do? Will Owen do something stupid? Gwen is going to be so miffed at missing this :-)<em>


	13. In the Hub

_Time to end the waiting and find out what happens to Tosh and Mary - and the others!_

* * *

><p><strong>Five Go Mad at Christmas<strong>

Chapter Thirteen: In the Hub

Suzie Costello took a deep breath and assessed the situation. An alien was holding her boss's daughter hostage, threatening her with a knife, inside the Hub. Her team was scattered around and didn't appear to have put the defence plan into action. Two London operatives were watching and probably dying to report back to the powers-that-be on her failures. And, the icing on the cake, Owen Harper was in the Hub observing them instead of the other way round.

'_Quite a disaster,' _sounded in her head. '_Just give me what I want and this will end.'_

"What the –!" She stared at the alien, Mary. "You're telepathic?" she asked out loud, warning her team.

'_They're waiting on you, Suzie. Claire will press the lockdown button and Dave will shoot when you give the word.'_

This was Suzie's worst nightmare. How do you counter a threat when the perpetrator can read your every thought? Surprise was out of the question. She looked round. Claire and Dave were impassive, ready to do their duty whatever the consequences. Ianto was watching Toshiko, concern clear. Jack exchanged a glance with Ianto but was otherwise still and calm. Owen was the opposite. His expression angry and with balled fists, he advanced on Mary and Toshiko.

"Let her go," he ordered. "Have me instead."

The ripple of laughter sounded in everyone's heads and also in their ears as Mary reverted to her human disguise. "You have no value! Besides, you hurt my lovely Toshiko. You left her for another woman and that makes me mad."

"Don't hurt him!" pleaded Toshiko. "I'll do what you want, just don't hurt him. Or anyone."

"She loves you even now. Put on the pendant, Tosh. Listen to what he really thinks about you."

"No, I don't want –"

"Do it!"

The knife pressed against her throat once more and Owen took a step nearer. "Leave her alone!" he yelled, preparing to spring at Mary.

"No, Owen! Jack, hold him back. Please!" Toshiko scrabbled in a pocket and pulled out the pendant. Fumbling, she placed it around her neck.

Holding onto Owen, Jack pulled him back a couple of yards while all the time watching Toshiko. He had seen the pendant before, hadn't Toshiko worn it on Boxing Day? Did it really enable her to listen to people's thoughts? If it did, it explained a lot.

"Do you hear him, Tosh?" said Mary. "Tell us what he's thinking."

Toshiko let the voices flow around her head. Ianto, _'Oh God, please keep Tosh safe.'_ The redhead, _'I should go for lockdown. But then what?'_ Suzie, _'What a cock-up!'_ A man high above them, _'I don't want her death on my conscience. Not another one.' _Again there was nothing from Jack. Concentrating on Owen she heard, _'Can she really read my mind? How long's that been going on?',_ and smiled. "He's worried about what I've heard already. It's all right, Owen, it's all right." Tears were rolling unbidden down her cheeks.

"I do love you, Tosh, I just …"

"Love Katie more," she finished for him. "I know, Owen."

"Can we get back to the point?" said Suzie, addressing Mary. "What do you want?"

"My transport home."

"You have crimes to pay for here as well as the ones that got you transported off your world. Must have been pretty serious to be sent into exile under guard. What happened to that guard, by the way?"

"He died. And just when I found out the transport was broken I was surprised by a human. This one." She gestured to her face and form while still maintaining a grip on Toshiko.

"And the man you killed? The human buried with the transport?"

"He shot me. I was hungry and took his heart."

"The first of many," said Suzie grimly. "How many have you killed?"

"I don't know. But you can stop more dying by letting me go." Mary glanced around. "They all think you should."

"I don't care what they think. I'm in charge here." Suzie had deliberately kept her mind as clear as possible but it seemed her colleagues had been less successful. "Let Toshiko go and we'll talk."

Mary's rippling laugh rang out again. "But she's my trump card. Besides, she's coming with me."

"No way!" shouted Owen, striding forward again.

Ianto rose in his seat to get a better view. He saw Jack grab Owen's arm and pull him backwards and Suzie's exasperated glance. Dave rose out of his crouch and openly pointed the large gun at Mary. The tension in the base was palpably growing as the standoff continued. Ianto had been one of the ones thinking Suzie should let Mary leave, until the threat to take Toshiko with her. Now it was unthinkable.

"She's not going anywhere," said Suzie.

"They're making decisions for you again, Tosh. No one's asked what you want. You invite your friends into your home at Christmas and they lumber you with Owen regardless of your feelings. They take you for granted and now they're treating you like a child."

Toshiko swallowed. Jack had foisted Owen on her, had ruined her Christmas. She'd had no choice in the matter and had been, very politely, threatened. Ianto hadn't stuck up for her either. Was Mary right?

"It's not true, Tosh. We love you. Don't let her lies blind you to the truth," said Jack. The first time he'd entered the conversation.

"We love you," repeated Ianto. He reinforced this by chanting _'We do. We do,'_ in his head over and over again.

"Damn right we do," said Owen. "You're the best friend a guy could have. I know I've not treated you right but you're still kind to me." He thought of her gentle words and actions when she found him on the bathroom floor being sick.

"Easy to say but actions are louder than words. They don't make up for all the other times," said Mary. "The times you've not been consulted. Remember them!"

Toshiko's head felt like it was bursting. Mary, physically closest, was sending her thoughts of all the times Toshiko had felt left out when the gang was together, her wishes pushed aside by the more dominant Jack and Gwen. But Toshiko was also receiving the thoughts of Owen and Ianto who were running through other occasions when Toshiko had been at the centre of their activities, making a vital contribution to solving mysteries at Trecastle and on Flat Holm island.

"Stop it!" she cried. "Stop it, all of you!"

Her distress moved everyone except Mary. Her attention had been drawn to Alex Hopkins on a walkway above them. She smiled. "At last someone's being sensible."

Suzie span round and stared up at her colleague. "Alex, no!"

"She holds all the cards. We may as well give her what she wants. This!" He held up a large four-pronged artefact before walking slowly to the spiral staircase.

"Alex, I order you –"

"He's not taking your orders," cut in Mary. "And why should he. He's senior to you, he should have been left in command while Sato's away."

"Right," agreed Alex with a bitter laugh. "But Suzie gets what Suzie wants and damn the rest. Look where she's led us, guys," he called to his team mates. "Alien in the Hub and no plan to counter it. She's pathetic."

"Dave, you have the authority to take him down," said Suzie between clenched teeth.

In less than a twinkling of an eye, Mary disarmed Dave. Those watching registered a blur of colour, like a speeded-up piece of film, then saw Dave slumped precariously over the side of the walkway, the sailor's knife sticking out of his neck. Mary was back where she had started, the gun in her hand and once more using Toshiko as a shield.

The first to move was Owen. He ignored Mary and crossed the Hub, running up the staircase to Dave's side. The wound was bleeding sluggishly, the knife itself stopping a fatal loss. "I need a medical kit!" Owen shouted down.

Roused from her stupefaction, Claire ran to the medical bay and grabbed a kit. Wordlessly, Ianto took it from her and ran down the steps and across the lower level past Mary and Toshiko. Every step seemed to take an age. He felt Jack's encouraging pat on the back but concentrated exclusively on the long walk. Finally he was up on the walkway beside Owen, holding open the medical kit.

Suzie let her shoulders slump. It was impossible to beat this woman. Either she read your mind or moved quicker than the speed of light. Alex was right, the only way out of this was to give her what she wanted. But for Mr Sato's sake she had to try and save Toshiko. He had trusted her with this command and she wanted to prove he had been right. She owed him.

Standing at the bottom of the steps leading up to the raised area, Jack was aware that Alex had resumed his descent, the artefact held close to his body in a two-handed grip. It looked like a glorified stapler but if this was the transport Mary wanted he was all for giving it to her too. A glance upwards and he saw Ianto assisting Owen; those two were safely occupied for now. Turning his attention back to the central trio, he saw Suzie's shoulders slump. Clearly Alex was the only one with a plan now. Mary was watchful but triumphant, sure of eventual success. Toshiko, on the other hand, was looking around her in confusion. What was she 'hearing' through that pendant? Then he remembered Boxing Day and sitting beside her on the couch …

Toshiko was sifting the thoughts coming to her. Some she discarded immediately: Owen and his medical procedures; Dave's pain and fear of dying; Claire's fears for Dave whom she loved. The thoughts she concentrated on were Suzie's and Alex's, thoughts about the man they both worked for in this underground base where aliens were normal. Her father. They worked for her father. How was this possible? It was nonsense, it had to be! Dad was a civil servant, like Ianto who … She glanced up at Ianto and caught, _'Bad way for Tosh to find out about her dad. Maybe she didn't understand'._ He knew too and somehow that made it real for her. If Mary hadn't got an arm round her, Toshiko would have fallen with the shock.

"Time to finish this," said Alex. He had reached the lower level and was standing near Jack.

"No!" A shot rang out and Alex span round losing hold of the transporter. Jack instinctively caught it, ducking back out of Claire's line of sight.

"Put that down, Claire!" ordered Suzie. Their eyes met and after several moments Claire obeyed, tossing the gun aside. "Thank you. No more guns, you hear me! How is he, Jack?"

"Shoulder wound. He'll live." He was bent over Alex, pressing down to stop the bleeding. "But he's right, it is time to end this." Leaving Alex to hold the wadded shirt in place, he picked up the transporter with one hand. In the other was Suzie's own gun, now pointed at her chest. "Stay where you are and don't interfere."

"You're different," said Mary, a small frown on her brow.

"And I'll take no nonsense from you either." Jack approached. "You can go. And you can take Toshiko with you … if she wants to go." He stared at her. "Do you agree?"

"Very well. Toshiko will come, she loves me."

"Your choice then, Tosh," said Jack turning to her. "You want to go with this murderer? Or stay with your friends, the people who love you? The people who make unreasonable demands because they know you're better than they are."

"No!" protested Owen, forgetting his patient.

By his side, Ianto looked on aghast. What was Jack playing at? But, there again, why shouldn't Toshiko make up her own mind. She was a grown woman who had the right to decide for herself. Even as he thought this, he held onto Owen preventing him storming down the stairs.

"Get back to your patient, Doctor Harper," said Jack shortly. "Well, Tosh?"

She 'heard' Owen, Ianto, Suzie and Claire, even the wounded Dave and Alex, but these were overridden by a 'voice' she had not heard before. As clear as if he was speaking normally, Jack thought, _'Be ready to move when I hand this over.'_ His absolute confidence that she would stay bolstered her resolve.

"I do love you, Mary," she said aloud. "You made me feel beautiful and wanted, something I haven't felt for a very long time, but I don't want to go with you. I belong here. Please let me stay."

"You heard her," said Jack to Mary. He held out a hand to Toshiko which she took gratefully but Mary did not release her. "We had a deal. Let her go and you can have this." He held up the transporter just out of reach.

And suddenly it was all over. Mary let go of Toshiko and dropped the gun, reaching with both hands for the transporter. Jack pulled Toshiko away, stepping back a yard or two. Suzie started forward to stop Mary leaving but the gun was back in Jack's hand and trained on her. She stopped. A whirring noise came from the transporter.

"What is this! What's happening!" demanded Mary.

"Alex programmed it to start as soon as you touched it. Oh, and he also put in some new co-ordinates. For the sun." Jack's voice was hard and brutal. "Happy landings."

"Noooooooo!" With this last despairing cry, Mary was engulfed in a column of white light and disappeared.

The silence that fell in the Hub was broken only by Toshiko's quiet sobbing, her head resting on Jack's shoulder. No one moved for a couple of minutes as they looked round to check they were still alive. Then slowly they came back to life. Owen and Ianto helped Dave down the stairs and Suzie, assisting Alex, led them to the medical bay. Claire looked after them, longing to be with Dave, but stayed where she was and brought the Hub lights back to normal levels and began the time-consuming task of unsealing the rest of the base. A couple of minutes later, Ianto left the medical bay and picked up the gun Claire had thrown away.

"Yours, I believe," he said putting it on the desk.

"Thanks. Is he …"

"Dave?" Ianto had seen enough of the couple together to know she cared for him. A secret, unrequited caring. "Owen's working on him. He doesn't seem too worried and he's got lots of new toys to play with."

"I should make some coffee."

"I'll do it. Don't take this the wrong way, but yours is lousy."

He patted her on the shoulder and went down the steps. Pausing near the immobile Jack and Toshiko, he raised an enquiring eyebrow and got an answering smile and shake of the head from Jack. Ianto went on his way to the coffee machine in the corner. Assessing the machine, he tutted at the accumulated debris from previous brews and cleaned the worst away before making fresh. He filled four mugs and took these to the work area with sugar and milk then went back for four more. By this time, Toshiko was sitting on the battered couch dabbing at her eyes with Jack's handkerchief. Suzie and Jack stood to one side talking quietly. Claire was still at her desk. All four of were either holding or had near them mugs of coffee. Just as Ianto was about to take the remainder into the medical bay, Alex emerged with his arm in a sling and sat on the couch. Owen followed him out.

"I've got him stabilised," he reported to Suzie. "That oojimaflip sealed the wound beautifully, all the layers of skin, nerves and blood vessels. It's bloody marvellous." He reached to the tray and took a mug.

"Thank you. Alex, how are you?"

"Better for this." He had taken Toshiko's untasted coffee and was sipping it. "Can't be one of yours, Claire, it actually tastes like coffee."

She pulled a face at him. "Any more comments like that and I'll shoot you again!" He laughed, obviously not bearing any grudges.

"I wish you wouldn't improvise like that, Claire. The plan would have worked perfectly well without you turning into Annie Oakley," said Suzie, relaxed once more.

"There was a plan?" queried Ianto. "I thought you were making it up."

"Bit of that too. Thank you, all three of you, for your help today."

"We did it for Tosh," said Jack quietly. "I think I understand what you were planning but there are a few points I'm not sure of. Willing to explain?"

"Why not? Our security's shot." She glanced at Owen who had moved to the railing and was looking out over the Hub.

"Before you do," said Ianto, "may I ask something?"

"Sure."

"Why are you two in your socks?" he asked Jack and Owen.

-ooOoo-

"Think she'll be all right?" asked Ianto.

"Eventually. She looks better already." Jack rested his once-again-booted feet on the coffee table. The two operatives shadowing Owen had finally appeared in the Hub and brought the boots down from the shop above. "Her dad will put her straight." Toshiko was in the office talking on the telephone. Suzie had raised Takahiro Sato on a secure line and he had been talking to his daughter for nearly quarter of an hour.

"I hope so. She's had a helluva day. Lover turns out to be an alien, threatens her and then offers a trip to another world. And to top it off, she learns her father is head of a secret organisation."

"She's strong. What about Owen? He knows about Torchwood now." The doctor was in the medical bay again, checking on his patient.

"Saves me a job."

"Huh?"

Ianto shrugged. "We can tell him about the alien brain parasite now. Means I don't have to pretend to make enquiries about Katie's death."

"I don't know. Might have to run that one by Messiter. London aren't as relaxed about these things as Cardiff."

"No." Ianto paused to look out over the Hub. "Pity, that."

"National bias or regret?"

"Bit of both, maybe. It's a good set-up here. No redundant managers to stifle initiative."

Jack sucked in a disapproving breath. "Ooh, Director Hartman will be shocked to hear that!"

"You going to tell her?"

"Not unless I'm – we're! - on another continent."

"What a Christmas. First Owen now Tosh, both affected by aliens."

"There's a lot of them about."

"But the public don't know. It can't be kept secret forever."

"They'll be told, when the time is right."

"That's too easy an excuse. They should be told now," Ianto disagreed.

"You want to frighten your mom and all the others like her? It's bad enough we've got the threat of nuclear war hanging over us, don't give them aliens to worry about too."

The debate might have continued but Owen reappeared in a borrowed white lab coat. "This is amazing," he said, plonking himself down beside Ianto. "There's stuff in that bay that would revolutionise medicine."

"Don't," said Jack laconically.

"Don't want?"

"Try and take anything out with you. I mean it, Suzie will frisk you before you leave."

"Nothing?"

"Two floors down there are empty cells she's dying to fill up."

Owen shifted in his seat, annoyed that Jack, by saying so little, could frighten him so much. Learning about this group of alien hunters had been a jaw-dropping experience only topped by finding out Jack and Ianto already belonged and Toshiko's dad ran the show. A few hours ago he'd have laughed at the very idea but being here and seeing the technology at their disposal it was impossible to deny. Cardiff – and London – had their own bands of alien hunters who had enough work to keep them busy all day and every day. Amazing.

Toshiko emerged from the office, pale but smiling slightly. She had washed away the marks of her tears and looked refreshed. Owen jumped up to meet her and ceremoniously took her arm and helped her sit where he had been. He didn't say a word as he shoved Jack's legs out the way and sat on the coffee table.

"Feel better, Tosh?" asked Ianto gently.

"Umm. Dad confirmed it all. He does run this place." She looked round briefly. Unlike the others she was not amazed by the Hub. This was where she had lost Mary and the last innocence of childhood. Her lover and her father had lied to her, the latter for years, and she didn't yet know how to cope with that.

"I'm sorry about Mary."

"Yeah, Tosh, me too," added Jack. "It's a lot to deal with."

"But you're strong so you'll do it." Ianto put an arm round her shoulders and hugged her briefly.

"You two talk a load of rubbish," said Owen. "You're going to hurt like hell for days, weeks, years probably! Booze helps, and the odd joint, but at the end of the day you've just got to get on with it, Tosh. Welcome to the club."

"Owen!" protested Ianto.

"He's right," she said. "I'll get used to it or get over it or … Well, whatever, I'll cope. Because I have to."

"We're here for you, Tosh," said Jack. "Whatever you need, we're here for you. Just like we are for you, Owen."

"I hate to say it, but they have been good." Owen smiled ruefully and raised an answering smile from Toshiko.

The friends looked up when Suzie walked over to join them. "We've got it all under control here. You can leave now."

"All of us?" asked Ianto. He hoped she wasn't going to try and detain Owen, he didn't have the energy for a fight.

"All of you. Doctor Harper, I owe you for looking after my colleagues. But if I hear so much as a peep about this place and find it came from you, I'll have your balls for earrings."

"I won't say anything. Not 'cos you're threatening me but because it would hurt Tosh and her family." He met Suzie's gaze and she was the one who broke away first.

"Toshiko. Your dad says you're a whizz at electronics. If you want to come in and check out –"

"No! No," she repeated more quietly. "I know you mean well but if I never see this place again it will be too soon." She reached into a pocket. "You'd better have this."

Suzie took the pendant. "Thanks. It really lets you to read minds?"

"The only true thing Mary ever said to me was about that. I asked her why she gave it to me and she said that after a while it gets to you, changes how you see people. Lock it away or destroy it before it tempts you."

"It's been a long day," said Jack. He stood and stepped over the coffee table. "Nice meeting you again."

"I'll walk you out." Suzie pocketed the pendant.

Owen dumped the lab coat and said, "Dave's conscious. He needs to get home to his bed. Won't be up to the sort of shenanigans you lot get up to for a couple of days at least."

Ianto helped Toshiko up and into her coat. The collar was still bloody but the wound on her neck was covered by a plaster. He put on his jacket then held out Jack's greatcoat for him. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm hungry."

They all four stood stock still. They had forgotten dinner … and Gwen!

* * *

><p><em>Oh no! How could they forget Gwen? More coming soon.<em>


	14. Fellow Travellers

_The friends try to come to terms with Mary's demise and all that went with it, but first Jack has a job to do ..._

* * *

><p><strong>Five Go Mad at Christmas<strong>

Chapter Fourteen: Fellow Travellers

Not for the first time, Jack had drawn the short straw. He found a parking place a hundred yards from the Golden Cockerel Restaurant and turned off the engine but did not get out straight away. The dashboard clock read 9:23, nearly two hours late. Gwen was going to be furious. Sitting there, Jack wondered what he was going to say. Somehow he had to tell Gwen enough to excuse the non-appearance of himself, Ianto, Toshiko and Owen for a dinner they had arranged without mentioning Torchwood and at the same time not alarm her. It was imperative she and Rhys did not go to Sully tonight. A tall order even for Jack's inventive mind.

With only a vague idea, he got out of the Rover and locked it. Toshiko had been in no state to drive and Ianto, who disliked driving, was more confident in the Triumph so he had taken that and driven Toshiko and Owen straight home. The door to the restaurant opened and a couple emerged. Jack halted but it was not Gwen and Rhys. He smiled as the couple passed then continued to the door. The plate glass window was curtained and he had only a brief glimpse of the interior. Gathering his courage, he pushed open the door and went inside. The warmth and light surprised him after the dark and cold night.

"Good evening, sir. How may I help you?" A smiling waiter stood before him.

"Table for Harkness. I believe –"

"Yes, sir." The welcome turned chilly. The restaurant had turned away bookings in order to accommodate the large party of seven to have only two people appear. "The rest of your party?"

"I'm afraid I'm it."

"I see. This way." He led the way further into the dog-leg shaped restaurant.

Jack loosened his scarf and undid his coat, suddenly too warm. The tables were mostly full with diners eating dessert or sipping coffee. In their midst was a large round table set for seven at which Gwen and Rhys sat in splendid isolation. Before they noticed him, Jack had time to note they were not talking and that the ash tray was full. A bottle of white wine stood almost empty by Gwen's right hand. She had been drinking which could be good or bad. Either she would be too far gone to care or get belligerent. Jack hoped for the former.

Rhys was the first to look up. "Jack, we started without you." He looked behind the American and then at Jack's face. His heart sank.

Gwen was also looking to the entrance for the others. "Where are they?" she demanded. "And why are you so late?"

"Something came up. I'm sorry." Jack slipped his coat onto a chair – there were plenty to chose from – and sat next to Gwen. It meant he was within range of her fists but he might also be able to keep her voice down.

"This better be bloody good! We've been sitting here like lemons waiting for you, not knowing if you were going to show up. No answer when we phoned and you didn't have the courtesy to phone us! The restaurant was bloody sarky too, making us feel like criminals for booking a big table."

"Is everyone all right? Gwen thought there might have been an accident," put in Rhys. He placed a hand over hers but she shook him off.

"They're fine. Well, physically." He looked up when the waiter came back to the table.

"Will you be eating, sir?"

Hunger gripped Jack; the beans on toast at lunch seemed a long time ago. "Maybe just a dessert. What have you got?"

"Here." Gwen thrust the menu at him. "I'll have profiteroles."

"Trifle for me," added Rhys.

"Black Forest gateau," said Jack with a smile, handing over the menu. "And a whisky. Large one."

"Thank you." The waiter took the other menu, sniffed and departed.

Gwen poured the rest of the wine into her glass. "Go on then, tell me why you all forgot about us." She took a long drink.

"I'm really sorry. There just wasn't a chance. We were up to our ears before we knew what was happening and then –"

"Jack! What happened?"

"Okay. Started with a call from Tosh, around six. She was still with Mary, said her car had broken down and could I pick her up. Didn't think anything of it, I just went. Only when I got there it wasn't the car that was broken it was Tosh. Mary had dumped her, right out of the blue. Tosh was in a helluva state, sitting in the car crying her eyes out." Jack was warming to his story. "I took her to a pub on the corner, thought a drink would calm her down but it didn't. Couple of Bacardis later she was in fighting mood. Anyway, long story short, I had to haul her off Mary and get her back to Sully tout de suite. She was still full of fight when we got home, took Ianto and me to restrain her."

"Why didn't you call me?" pressed Gwen. "I could have helped."

"She was past help. And she set off Owen. He'd got to the booze again, actually broken into a locked cupboard, and was primed and ready. The pair of them were shouting and screaming at one another, throwing ornaments and stuff around. Ianto and I tried to get them apart but it was like wrestling tigers. They were drinking all the time too and that was what finally stopped them. They got sick and started throwing up. Ianto looked after Owen while I took Tosh. Wasn't 'til half an hour ago that they passed out and we could think about anything else." He ran a hand through his hair and sighed, trying to look frazzled. All things considered, he was pleased with the story.

"Sounds horrible," said Rhys. "Are they going to be all right?"

"Other than stupendous hangovers in the morning. At least, they'd better have them if there's any justice in the world." The waiter returned with Jack's whisky. "Thanks."

"Where are they now?" asked Gwen.

"In bed. We left them snoring and made a dash for it."

"Ianto too?"

"Yeah, my car was at Mary's place. I dropped Ianto off and he's driven straight back. I came on to tell you. Ianto said it would be better in person. Poor love, he's really upset no one told you before." Jack sipped his drink, pleased with the bit about Ianto; it had the ring of authenticity.

The desserts arrived and halted Gwen's inquisition. She cut into a profiterole and took some extra chocolate sauce. It tasted good. Her brain was not functioning too well – she'd drunk the best part of two bottles of wine – or she might have seen through the story. As it was, she felt immediate sympathy for Toshiko. She must be devastated to have lost control so completely but being dumped by Mary would do it. Poor kid, she had no luck in love.

"Not much point coming to see her now, I suppose," she said.

"Tosh? No, she's out of it. Least I hope she is," said Jack. Half the gateau had already gone in two large forkfuls. "Tomorrow would be better."

"I'll come round in the morning. She'll want to talk."

"Call first. No knowing when she'll be up. Or Owen." Jack couldn't believe his luck, Gwen was doing just what he wanted.

"I'm due a lie-in." She demolished the remaining profiterole. "Shall we have another bottle?"

"No, love, you've had enough. We'll have coffee. You too, Jack?" asked Rhys.

"Why not."

-ooOoo-

The whistling told Ianto that the meeting with Gwen had gone well. Jack only whistled when he was in a good mood, although usually something more modern than _We wish you a Merry Christmas. _The front door slammed followed by scuffling as coat and shoes were removed. Ianto looked round when the living room door opened.

"Honey, I'm home." Jack grinned at him, moving to the fire. "It's freezing out there. Where are they?"

"Tosh is having a bath and Owen's in the kitchen, getting some drinks." He misinterpreted Jack's lifted eyebrow. "I know, I said I wouldn't let him but after today I need one as much as he does." Jack leant down and patted Ianto's chest, peering down the collar of his shirt. "Oy!"

"Just wanted to see if you were wearing one of those pendants." He flopped onto the couch.

"What are you talking about?" Ianto shifted so he could see Jack better.

"You. Reading my mind. That's the story, part of the story, I fed Gwen. And she took it, hook, line and sinker." He beamed, delighted with himself.

"Lying to your friends is nothing to be proud of. But well done." Tenderly, he kissed Jack. "Coffee and … chocolate?"

"Black Forest gateau. Thought I should at least have dessert with them. And I paid the bill. You taste of tomato soup and potatoes."

"I kept some back for you. I'll bring it in here, where it's warm." They kissed again.

"Managed to convince Gwen, then," said Owen, not caring what he was interrupting. He placed the bottles of whisky and rum on the coffee table and went to the trolley for glasses.

Ianto broke off the kiss. "He did. Two bottles?"

"Bacardi is for Tosh."

The Welshman rolled his eyes and departed for the kitchen. Jack sat back, watching Owen open the whisky and pour a large measure into a glass. He waved the bottle at Jack who shook his head; the drink he'd had at the restaurant was enough for him. The whisky disappeared in one go. When Owen had another in his hand he settled back in the chair.

"Aliens in Cardiff. What's that all about?"

"You already know too much."

"I'll keep on asking."

Ianto reappeared carrying a tray. He placed this on Jack's knee, carefully putting a napkin in his collar. "Don't spill it."

"Come on, you two! I know about this Torchwood and seen the base, you might as well tell me the rest."

"He's right," agreed Ianto.

"Cheers, Ianto."

"But wait until I've got the rest of the meal. And Tosh may want to hear it too. I think she'll be down soon." Ianto had heard the bath empty.

Owen toasted his cousin's retreating back and took a sip of whisky, a smaller one this time. "That base was something. Wonder how big it is."

"Big enough. Everything you've seen and whatever we tell you has to stay secret, Owen. Lives depend on it – including yours!" The soup was hot, delicious and warming. Jack dunked bread in it.

"What could they do to me?"

"A hell of a lot. People who get in Torchwood's way disappear or end up dead."

The seriousness of Jack's tone was even more chilling than his words and Owen shivered. At the time he had been too concerned about Toshiko and the injured men, and overwhelmed by the base, to be frightened. Now, with the value of hindsight, he believed Jack. Suzie had not been making idle threats and anyone who could keep a base that huge a secret could probably lose a junior doctor with ease.

"I already gave my word."

"I know. This may sound like me being heavy and all that, but this is serious stuff."

"You don't have to go on! Surely it's better you answer my questions than I go out trying to find answers for meself," he wheedled.

"Why ask questions at all?" Jack concentrated on the last of the soup, wiping the bowl clean with the bread.

Tosh opened the door and Ianto appeared carrying a plate. "Thanks, Tosh. Here we are, bubble and squeak with turkey and the last of the cold ham." He took the empty soup bowl and replaced it with the plate.

"Ketchup?"

"Here." Ianto took the bottle from his pocket and put it on the tray.

"Drink, Tosh?" Owen asked.

"Please." She curled her legs underneath her and huddled inside her dressing gown. Her cheeks were flushed from the bath and without makeup she looked tired. "Gwen okay?"

"More or less," mumbled Jack, talking with his mouth full. "I told her to call tomorrow before coming round. She was worried about you."

"Why? What daft story did you tell her?" She sipped the Bacardi and coke.

Between mouthfuls, Jack repeated the story he had told Gwen and Rhys. His audience listened in silence, too exhausted by the events of the past few hours to comment. Typically, Owen laughed at the thought of them being drunk and downed his drink. "You don't have to prove me right," concluded Jack, eyeing him.

"It's a good cover story. You both happy with it?" asked Ianto.

"Sure." Owen was refilling his glass.

"Why not? I am a loser and a wimp." Toshiko stared into her drink. She had wept copiously while in the bath and was trying not to start again. "Gullible too. I don't see through anyone's lies."

"Except when you're listening to our thoughts."

"That's not fair, Owen!" snapped Ianto. "We talked about this. What's done is done. We draw a line under it and move on."

"I apologise," she said quietly. "What I did was an invasion of your privacy, I shouldn't have done it."

Jack finished the food and sat back with a satisfied grunt. "That was good. Now all I need is a beer." He looked at Ianto hopefully.

"We are going to have a talk about your servant fixation." Nevertheless he got up, took the tray from Jack and went into the kitchen returning with two bottles of cold beer.

"Cheers. Tosh, Owen wants to know about aliens and Torchwood. Is that okay with you?" asked Jack. "If you'd rather not know, he can wait."

"Dad told me … stuff. I didn't take it all in, just that it was very secret."

"It is. You mustn't mention it to anyone else."

"On pain of death, apparently," put in Owen unhelpfully.

"Thank you, Owen! You're a scientist, Tosh, I think you'd find it easier to understand if we put it all into context. You want that?"

She nodded. At present all she could think about was that Torchwood had killed Mary who, despite everything, she still loved. She wanted to hate Torchwood but that meant hating Jack and Ianto, and her father, and she didn't want to go down that road; she loved them very much, in different ways of course.

Jack started talking, prompted by Owen's questions for the most part. He kept the information simple and factual and did not elaborate or go into particularly sensitive areas. He did tell them about the aliens he had met including Weevils, two of which Owen had faced in a cage a couple of years before, and the alien minotaur in Trecastle. He did not mention the people hospitalised on Flat Holm island. Ianto dealt with questions about artefacts and stressed the benefits they could bring if the technology could be harnessed for human use. When Jack thought Torchwood was sounding too benevolent, he stressed the ways and means at its disposal to control information about aliens leaking out to the general population.

"Which brings us to Katie," he said, watching Owen closely. "You were absolutely right about what you saw. She was killed by an alien parasite that made a home in her brain."

"What!" Owen was appalled. He had half-convinced himself he was mistaken, helped by Ianto's expert misdirection.

"They're not uncommon," said Ianto, who had looked them up that afternoon. "No one knows where they come from, only that they burrow into the brain where they affect memory and some motor functions. When exposed to the air they emit a toxic gas. That's what killed Katie and the medical team."

"Torchwood went to clean up and found you shouting the odds. Luckily Mac spotted your connection to Ianto," said Jack. "You were given into our care instead."

"You were going to keep it quiet! You were my gaolers!" Owen was on his feet.

"Better us than the alternative."

Ianto was also standing, pushing Owen back into his chair. "If Jack hadn't talked fast, and put his career on the line, you'd be languishing in a cell. A deep, dark cell from which you'd never have emerged. Have you got that!"

"Let it go, Owen," said Toshiko softly. "Katie's dead, what else matters?"

"Yeah, but …" He fumed and glared at Jack but did not complete what he going to say.

"I hadn't realised there were so many of them," she went on. "Are other people as affected by aliens as we have been?"

"No, we seem to attract them!" said Jack with a smile. "I expect you've worked out that Mary got to know you so –"

"She could get into the base and get her transporter. Yes, I realise that."

Ianto crouched in front of her. "But that doesn't mean she didn't love you. Aliens can love humans and she'd been living among us for a long time. I think she genuinely wanted to take you with her, to her home."

Owen opened his mouth to point out the obvious flaws in that argument. A hand clamped down on his arm and Jack glared at him, daring him to destroy what peace of mind they could give her. Owen took a drink instead.

"And that's enough about aliens," said Ianto. He kissed Toshiko's cheek before standing up. "I suggest you both get plastered tonight, because tomorrow the booze is back off limits."

-ooOoo-

At close to midnight, Jack shut the bedroom door firmly and leant against it. Only one bedside lamp was lit, casting a soft glow over Ianto who lay in the bed with his hands behind his head staring at the ceiling. His friend and lover was safe after the alarms of the day and Jack prayed to a God he didn't fully believe in to keep him that way. Life without Ianto would be unbearable.

"We should have got them to bed."

"Give them a break." They had left Owen and Toshiko downstairs playing Monopoly of all things. How they would manage when they were already half-cut, Jack did not know.

"You're not the one who has to clean up after them." Ianto raised his head and peered at Jack. "You staying there all night?"

"I'm admiring the view."

"Come to bed."

Dispensing with dressing gown and slippers, Jack got under the covers. Propped on an elbow, he looked down at Ianto. "I was thinking how much I'd miss you," he said softly, running a finger down his lover's cheek.

"Me too," he admitted.

Jack brushed his lips over Ianto's. "Ready for some loving?"

"Not right now, sorry." He smiled to soften the rejection.

"No problem. _Cwtsh_ instead?"

Ianto chuckled and stroked Jack's hair. "Your only Welsh word. Umm, I'd like a cuddle too." He waited until Jack was settled against his side, head on his chest. "She was beautiful."

"Who?"

"Mary. In her natural form, I mean. You ever seen an Arcanteenian before?"

"Nope. Certainly better looking than those Hoix." He yawned, his jaw cracking. "Put out the light."

"Anything would be better than them." Ianto switched off the lamp and went back to stroking Jack's hair.

-ooOoo-

"That's yours," said Tosh.

"Huh?"

"Vine Street. It's yours."

Owen looked at her then at the Monopoly board. Both were swaying in and out of focus. "Oh." He reached for the paper money. "How much d'you want?"

"'S wrong. I pay you." She waved at the small cards scattered around him with their bright coloured banding. "Rent with a – hiccup - house."

After several attempts he found the right card but the print was too small. Half the whisky had gone and he couldn't concentrate let alone read. "Give me a tenner."

She handed it over ceremoniously. Despite being just as drunk as him, Toshiko had all her motor functions. "Your turn." She took another swig from the rum bottle. The glass had been left somewhere and she couldn't be bothered to find it.

He threw the dice. "How much is that?"

"Umm, two and five," she said. "That's ... nineteen."

He picked up the dog and moved it.

"No! I'm the dog! The ugly dog no one loves."

"I love you."

"You left me. Dumped me for Katie." She took another drink. "Gotta pixture?"

Owen reached for his wallet, in the back pocket of his trousers, and toppled off the chair onto the floor. His grunt of mixed surprise and pain was swiftly followed by laughter.

"Where'd' ya go?" Toshiko looked over the table at him, lying on his side. "Wassa joke?" With exaggerated care, she stood up and tottered two paces before sitting cross-legged beside him.

"This is Katie. My Katie." He held out a photograph taken in a booth on Waterloo Station.

Toshiko stared for some minutes, seeing Katie for the first time. "Sheez bootiful."

"Mary, she was bootiful too. All those spiky bits." He lay on his back wafting his hands around in imitation. "And her insides. Could see those too."

"I loved her." She handed back the photograph and took yet another drink. "Good sex too."

"Hot!" Owen gave up trying to get the photograph back in the wallet and laid both aside.

"I'll drink to that."

"Drink. I can't …" He tried to sit up and retrieve his own bottle still on the table but flopped back onto the floor again. "Tosh, could you …" He waved at the whisky.

"Sure."

With their bottles in hand and drinking steadily, they lay side by side on the floor talking softly about the pain of lost loves until sleep – or unconsciousness – claimed them.

-ooOoo-

That was where Ianto found them early the next morning.

Waking at five, he had gone to check on them and found both beds empty. Descending the stairs, he saw the lights were still on in the living room and pushed open the door, dreading what he would find. At first he couldn't see Toshiko and Owen but then spied a foot by the small games table. Rounding the couch, he stood looking down on his friends. Owen lay on his back, mouth open. Toshiko was on her side, curled into a ball with her head on Owen's stomach. His hand rested on her shoulder. Beside them lay the two bottles, both empty. They looked peaceful and at ease and Ianto decided not to disturb them. He removed the bottles and placed a cushion under Owen's head. They were warm - the fire was still on – but Ianto still put a throw over Toshiko who was less warmly dressed. Turning the fire down low, he switched off the lights and left them to sleep.

In the kitchen, Ianto put the bottles in the bin and made a mug of coffee, sitting at the table to drink it. Alone with his thoughts, he went over all that happened since Toshiko had arrived at the London flat. It had been a roller-coaster few days with losses for both her and Owen. But a weight had been lifted from his own shoulders. He had come out to his mam about his relationship with Jack, or rather had found he didn't need to, and Toshiko and Owen knew about Torchwood and aliens. Some of the secrecy in his life, which had stifled his natural openness, had been removed. He could forget the need for discretion at least some of the time.

Finishing the coffee, he went back upstairs and climbed in beside Jack. Time for some dabbling, before the events of the new day conspired to keep them apart. He reached a hand to Jack's cock and felt it stir and stiffen. 'Old Reliable' was ready for action.

* * *

><p><em>There are some sore heads in the next chapter ...<em>


	15. A Lazy Day

_It's the morning after all the excitement with Mary and the Hub ..._

* * *

><p><strong>Five Go Mad at Christmas<strong>

Chapter Fifteen: A Lazy Day

"Hello," muttered Owen. The telephone had been ringing for ages, sufficiently loudly to wake him from a drunken stupor.

"_Owen, that you?"_ asked. He was speaking uncharacteristically quietly.

"Yeah." It sounded more like a groan.

"_I want to talk to Tosh." _

"Can't. She's asleep. What's the bleeding time anyway?"

"_Five past ten. Where's Jack? Or Ianto?"_ She'd get more sense out of them than Owen.

"In bed. Fucking, no doubt," he added with an lecherous laugh. It was a pretty safe bet they were still upstairs. The curtains hadn't been drawn back and there was no sign of them. And if they were still in bed Owen knew what they were doing.

"_You are so crude! Get them to ring me. Or Tosh. If I haven't heard in an hour I'm coming over." _She put down the receiver with a bang that echoed through Owen's head.

"Shit," he groaned.

After a diversion to the kitchen for several glasses of water, Owen returned to the living room. He dragged the curtains back and stood looking out blearily. Another dry day but windy. The water was choppy and a couple of boats were bouncing up and down. Owen's stomach lurched and he looked away quickly. Toshiko lay where he had left her, curled in a ball under a throw by the games table. She was so peaceful he didn't like to wake her but she'd be better able to cope with the unstoppable force that was Gwen Cooper if she had had time to prepare.

Kneeling carefully, he shook her shoulder. "Tosh, wake up. It's morning." She moved and groaned but did not open her eyes. "Tosh, come on." He shook harder.

"Oh God," she moaned. One eye cracked open then quickly shut.

"I know how you feel, but we've got to get ready. Gwen's coming in an hour unless you ring and put her off."

"Oh God!" she repeated with more feeling.

"Right! Come on, up you get."

With difficulty, they managed to get to their feet and into the hall. Toshiko stayed to telephone Gwen while Owen hauled himself upstairs, a feat akin to climbing Everest. He went to the bathroom and splashed water on his face. His reflection in the mirror was dominated by bloodshot eyes and skin devoid of colour; he had drunk way too much last night. Hauling himself along – his body felt heavy and uncooperative – he went to Jack and Ianto's room. The door was closed so Owen banged loudly, regretting it immediately as the noise reverberated around his head. "Get up, you randy sods," he said as loudly as he dared.

"We've got a reprieve," reported Toshiko, joining him on the landing. "I've put her off 'til one."

"Well done." He banged on the guestroom door again.

"Ow!" she complained. Her head was pounding. "What are you doing that for?"

"Got to get them up. Or should that be down." He giggled uncontrollably. A moment later, once she got the joke, Toshiko joined in.

"Jeez, it's the giggle twins." Jack stood in the doorway, dressing gown covering his nakedness. "You want something?"

"Didn't you hear the 'phone? Gwen's coming."

"At one. I got her to wait a bit," added Toshiko between giggles.

"Time enough for you two to sober up then. I want you washed and dressed - in clean clothes - in one hour. Off you go." He made shooing motions with his hands. Like children, they turned obediently and, still giggling, went to their rooms.

-ooOoo-

Toshiko sat at her dressing table and drank some more water. Her mouth still felt woolly and she had a throbbing headache. Everything was an effort, even brushing her hair hurt. She had put it into a bunch on one side; it was just long enough. Mary had complimented her hair, liked how straight it was, and urged her to grow it longer. Perhaps she would. With a sigh that turned into a groan, she stood up. Time to face the world again.

Passing the open door to Owen's room, she saw him sitting on the bed with his head resting on the wall. His eyes were closed and she was able to watch him unnoticed. She and Owen would never be a couple again but last night they had spoken honestly about the break up and the effect it had had on them both. She accepted he loved Katie with a passion greater than he had ever shown for her. He understood the pain and hurt his decision had caused her. The recent losses they had suffered gave them a new bond and Toshiko hoped they could be friends again.

"I feel bloody awful," he said. "How about you?" He wasn't surprised to see her standing there. After last night, nothing would ever surprise him again.

"The same. Got a thumping headache."

"Taken anything?" He eased himself off the bed, holding his head as still as possible.

"Aspirin. I think I just need coffee."

"I know a man who makes the best and he happens to be downstairs at this moment."

They laughed. There was a lot of emotional baggage to jettison before they would be truly comfortable with one another but they were moving in the right direction. Together, they walked downstairs.

-ooOoo-

It was Ianto's idea to turn breakfast into brunch and to delay it until Gwen arrived. To fill the time, and after restorative coffee, he bundled them into warm jackets, coats, hats and scarves and forced them out of the house. It was very cold and they walked quickly along the beach, heads down into the wind. A dog which had escaped its elderly owner provided a diversion as they helped re-capture it, Ianto's rugby tackle finally doing the job. Coming back down the beach the wind was behind them and they were blown along. Toshiko, the slightest, was almost taken off her feet and had to be tethered between Ianto and Owen until Jack decided to tether Ianto in a very special way and the Welshman had to fight him off. The walk helped banish the hangovers and their worries, at least for a time, and they were laughing when they got back to the house.

"We've got forty five minutes before Gwen gets here," said Ianto. He was by the fridge, checking the contents. "There's plenty of eggs and bacon, and I can make hash browns, but we're short of sausages and haven't got any mushrooms at all. Milk's a bit low too, especially if you want to make pancakes."

"Sounds like a shopping trip is in order," said Jack. "Give me a list."

"There's a loaf here but it's stale," said Toshiko from the larder.

"French toast, lovely!"

"Better get some more then," said Ianto, continuing to ignore Jack.

"Just put it on that list." Jack was moving to the door. "Won't take me long to –"

"No."

"Huh?"

"I said no." Ianto faced him. "You'll be gone ages and come back with stuff we don't need. I'll go. The local shops will be fine, I can walk. Tosh, want to come with me?"

"Umm, actually … I was thinking I could stay and help Jack start on lunch."

"Oh. Well, if you don't want to … Owen, you can come instead."

"Me? What have I done?" He was sitting at the kitchen table, throwing an orange into the air and catching it.

"Nothing all Christmas. Time you pulled your weight. I can't carry all this by myself."

"Then take the car."

"No, we're walking. Come on. Tosh, pass me the shopping bags." Five minutes later they had departed.

Jack looked across to Toshiko. "I think you hurt Ianto's feelings. Why wouldn't you go with him?"

"I wanted to talk to you. Privately." She smiled fleetingly. "Here, you start on these while I do the onions."

Taking the potatoes to the sink, he said, "What's on your mind?"

"A couple of things. Mary's flat, for one. What's going to happen to it?" She stood next to him, using a board on the counter to cut and dice the onions.

"Suzie will check it out. Take away any personal possessions. Might tell the landlord Mary's moved or just leave it empty until someone realises. Why?"

"I wondered … I wondered if I could have a keepsake," she said in a rush. "Not anything much, just something to remind me of her."

"Is that wise?"

"I loved her, Jack. I know she was an alien and using me but …" She couldn't put her feelings into words.

Jack didn't think there would be any harm in it. "I could give Suzie a call. Is there anything special you wanted?"

"On the dressing table there was a small vase. Nothing special or valuable - or alien! Just pretty. Do you think she'd let me have it?"

"Don't see why not."

"Good." She bent to her task once more.

"And the other thing? You said there were two."

"When I had the pendant on I could hear everyone's thoughts - it was terrible in a crowd! - but I couldn't hear yours." She had stopped again and was watching him closely. "Nothing. You were a blank."

"Never said I was a thinker!" he joked.

"Please, Jack, be serious. Why couldn't I hear you except when you 'spoke' to me?"

He met her gaze. "When you train to be an operative with Torchwood there are tons of tests. Medical, psychological, the lot. One of them assesses psychic ability. Appears I have a natural ability to block anyone who wants to read me. It's of no use whatsoever most of the time, and I can't control it, but occasionally it can come in useful. The trainers taught me to send thoughts too."

"So Mary couldn't read you either?"

"I guess not, otherwise she'd have seen what had been done to the transporter."

"But Alex had done that. He told us."

"He's properly trained in this stuff and can block his thoughts, or not, at will. He only let her see what he wanted her to." He laughed shortly. "Until Claire took a hand and blew his plan out of the water."

"Right," she said thoughtfully.

"I'm sorry I had to be the one to … send Mary on her way." Alex had told him of the plan while Jack tended his wound. Jack wished he had picked someone else to complete it.

"Kill her. No euphemisms, Jack, you killed her. And you did right. I loved her but I'm not stupid. She would have carried on killing if you hadn't stopped her." She smiled bravely. "She was beautiful, wasn't she? As aliens go."

"Sure was." He gave her hug, ignoring his wet hands. "Pick a better one next time, Tosh."

"I'll try!"

-ooOoo-

Gwen drove slowly to Sully. She was early and needed time to consider what to say to Toshiko to make the heartache more bearable. Last night she'd thought of loads of wise words but now, in the cold light of day, they seemed trite and patronising. Toshiko hid her feelings, good and bad, but they ran deep. It had been eighteen months since the break up with Owen and she still wasn't over it. Despite knowing Mary a much shorter time, the hurt would be as acute. She gave love totally and uncritically, there was no in between for her. Thinking back, Gwen thought of her own love for Phil Surtees. That had been a short relationship too, just a few months of sneaking around, but losing him had been devastating. Meeting him in the station afterwards, being partnered with him, had rubbed salt into the wound until she had hardened her heart. At least Toshiko would be back at Cambridge soon and not seeing Mary every day.

Driving past the parade of shops, she spotted the familiar back views of Ianto and Owen and pulled up alongside them. "Want a lift?"

"Yep," replied Owen immediately. He pulled open the back door and jumped inside, dumping the two heavy bags on the seat beside him.

"Thanks, Gwen," said Ianto. It hardly seemed worth getting in the car for such a short drive but Owen had pre-empted him. He settled in the front, bags on his knee. "I'm really sorry about last night."

"It's okay. Wasn't too happy about it at the time, as Jack probably told you, but you had your hands full with this one and Tosh." She pulled out. "How is she?"

"Bearing up."

"Tosh is all right," put in Owen. "Don't you go upsetting her."

"Me upset her!" protested Gwen.

"Actually, she's doing okay," said Ianto. "Remarkably well really." He was surprised how well she and Owen had adjusted to the events of the previous night, at least on the surface.

"Probably bottling it up again. I'll play it by ear, see if she wants to talk or not." She drove up to the house and parked.

They walked round to the back door. In the flurry of greetings and taking off coats, Gwen noticed a change in her friends. When she'd last seen them together the atmosphere had been strained but now they were at ease, almost the same as in the old days. Something had happened, something they were all privy to and she wasn't. Once again, she felt like an outsider, the one left behind after they had moved on to university and had had experiences she couldn't share.

"Why don't you two girls go and have a natter," suggested Jack. "Leave us men to finish off here."

"Good idea," agreed Ianto. "We'll call you when it's ready."

"Great, nice to see men doing the cooking for once," said Gwen, heading for the living room. "You look better than I expected, Tosh." She had expected a return to the unkempt look but Toshiko was smart in trousers and jumper with her hair tied up and wearing makeup.

"I made enough of an exhibition of myself last night. It hurts but it's not like I haven't been there before." She sat in an armchair and Gwen took the one opposite.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?"

Toshiko looked away. She was not a good liar, especially to Gwen who knew her so well. Better to say as little as possible. "There's not much to tell. I misread Mary's interest in me. She didn't love me like I loved her." That was true at least.

"I'm sorry, Tosh, you have the worst luck." Gwen leant forward and patted Toshiko's knee in sympathy. "No warning?"

"No. She just said it wasn't working for her. I'm sorry, Gwen, it's hard to talk about."

"Okay, you don't have to." Gwen wondered whether to mention the inconsistencies she had discovered when looking into Mary's background and decided against it. At least for the present. Maybe Toshiko would want to know in the future but now was not the time. "Don't let this bad experience put you off, Tosh. You've had a look about you the past couple of days. Love suited you."

"Thanks." The tears couldn't be held back any longer and Toshiko let them fall.

"Oh, sweetheart, come here." Gwen enveloped her in a hug, pleased her friend was letting her emotions run free. "It'll be all right, you'll see. There's someone out there for you, it's just taking a bit of time finding him. Or her," she added hastily.

Toshiko hiccupped and then started to laugh; Gwen was trying so hard to be fair and open. Wiping her eyes, which were still full of tears, Toshiko said, "I don't think there'll be another woman for me. I've not turned into a lesbian."

Joining in the laughter, Gwen said, "That's a relief. I thought Jack and Ianto were infectious!"

Brunch was a success. The friends ate in the kitchen, Jack making pancakes and French toast to order while scrambled egg, sausages, bacon, mushrooms, tomatoes, hash browns, and baked beans were in dishes on the table. Some cheese scones from the bakery, warm from the oven, completed the array. Everyone tucked in, even Gwen, Owen and Toshiko who were still recovering from their over-indulgence the night before. Orange juice and water were the only drinks available, Ianto's orders. When they had eaten their fill only a couple of cold sausages and a lone scone remained. Ianto made Owen help clear up, part of his plan to keep the Londoner occupied and not thinking about Katie or drink, and sent the others out of the kitchen. They had barely reached the hall when the telephone rang.

"It's Mum and Dad," said Toshiko. She sat on the bottom stair, telephone on her knee, and started chatting in Japanese.

"That was good timing," said Gwen as she shut the living room door behind them. "She needs some family support."

"She say anything?" he asked idly. He trusted Toshiko not to have mentioned Torchwood or aliens but Gwen was a trained investigator who noticed the smallest inconsistencies.

"Not a lot but she did have a good cry which is good. She's too prone to bottling things up, like after Owen." She moved to the games table with the unfinished Monopoly game. "Sit down, I want to talk to you."

"My lucky day." He took the chair opposite her at the table. "Want to start again or carry on with this game?"

"Carry on. I'll be the racing car." Automatically, she sorted her money into piles and rearranged the property cards. "You go first."

"Okay." He threw the dice and moved the dog. "What did you want me for?"

"My research on Mary." As they played the game, she outlined what she had discovered from the police records. "So," she summarised, "no record of her having a job and a strange link to some open murders."

"I'll buy that." He had landed on Fenchurch Street station. "Sounds like Tosh is well out of it. I'm pleased they've split up without us having to tell her."

"Yeah, would have been difficult. You think it was all just a coincidence, two women of the same name knowing two murder victims?"

"What else can it be? But I'd be interested in reading your notes, might be a mystery there for us to solve!"

She groaned, standing up. "No, Jack! I get enough of those at work." Retrieving her bag from the armchair, she took out the folded notes. "Here. You look after them."

"Thanks." With these safely in a pocket, he decided it was time to divert Gwen away from Mary. "What's Cardiff doing for New Years? Don't want to be stuck out here, especially if Ianto won't let me have a drink."

-ooOoo-

The afternoon turned wet and the friends were happy to stay indoors by the fire as the rain beat against the windows and the wind howled in the chimney. Owen went to sleep on the couch while the others expanded the Monopoly game to four players. With the properties fairly evenly distributed the game looked set to continue for some considerable time. At six, they broke off for cups of tea and crumpets and lolled around deciding what to do with the evening. Friday nights were usually reserved for going out but the weather made turning out less than appealing especially when they had New Year's Eve coming up in two days' time.

"I'm for staying in," said Toshiko. "Just listen to that wind!"

"Me too," agreed Owen. He was comfortable and warm and other than wanting a drink, he was happy where he was.

"Okay if I get Rhys to come over?" asked Gwen.

"'Cos it is. Haven't seen him since he got back," said Ianto. "Be good to catch up."

"He's put on weight. Must be his mom feeding him up," observed Jack.

"He has not!" retorted Gwen. "I'll give him a ring, he'll be home by now." She went out into the hall.

Ianto chuckled and asked, "Has he really?"

"Looked like it to me. But what about New Years, we still haven't decided what to do. I think a party would be a great."

"It's too late to organise a party. All our friends will already be going somewhere else. Besides, it's expensive and –"

"They can bring a bottle."

"A few bottles of beer and cheap wine which no one wants to drink!"

"I would," said Owen dejectedly.

"You're drying out," said Ianto pointedly. He turned back to Jack. "Then there's the mess and the noise. The neighbours won't be happy if we keep them up all night."

Owen and Toshiko sniggered.

Jack eyed them suspiciously. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing," said Toshiko. "I'd rather not have a party. I told you Dad's coming back early. I don't want him finding the place in a mess or for things to get broken. Can't we stay here quietly?" Mr Sato had decided to return three weeks before the rest of his family in order to be with Toshiko; they had fences to mend and trust to rebuild.

Gwen returned. "Rhys'll come over later. What are we talking about?" She sat by Ianto on the couch.

"These deadbeats are pooh-poohing my idea of a New Years party," Jack said.

"Far too late to sort out a party," she said bluntly. "We ought to go to the Castle, loads of stuff going on there."

"That's a better idea," agreed Ianto immediately. "They got the count down clock still?"

"Yeah, it's there. Going to be fireworks too."

"Booze?" asked Owen.

"Thought you were on the wagon?" She was tolerating Owen but still resented his presence. In her view he had forfeited his right to be a part of the group, however, the others had accepted him again so she had little choice in the matter.

He snorted and glared at Ianto. "Not my idea."

"Shut up, Owen. It won't hurt any of us to have an alcohol-free evening," said Ianto.

"I'm never going to touch it again," vowed Toshiko. She glanced at the clock. This time yesterday they had been in the Torchwood base negotiating with Mary. The horror of that time, the confusion and fear, came back and she shivered violently.

Ianto, who was between her and Gwen, felt her tremors and put an arm round her. "Still feeling bad? Owen, you got anything to help?"

Owen was not fooled like Ianto. He knew what was wrong with Toshiko as he had moments like that too. "Let's see what's in the medicine cupboard." He regretted not having his medical bag with him but Jack had not packed it, like he hadn't packed a lot of things. Even better would be one of the Torchwood medical kits; they had a cure for everything!

"I'll come too," offered Gwen.

"No. Thanks, Gwen, but Owen will look after me." She stood up and went out with him hovering protectively.

Looking at the door as it closed behind them, Gwen said, "She forgiven him?"

"They cleared the air last night. Told a few home truths and, well, it seems to have sorted them both out," said Jack. He was lounging in a chair, legs stretched out in front of him. "About time too."

"I'm not sure she's actually forgiven him," mused Ianto. "More that they're both hurting and are willing to bury the past. I hope it will last, I hated us not being together like in the old days."

"We have been through a lot together. Remember Trecastle farm? Gwen getting frazzled cooking lunch and me milking cows," laughed Jack.

"I'd have insisted on doing the cows now," she said. "A woman shouldn't be stuck in the kitchen."

"Oh no, watch out, she's going to burn her bra!"

"Did that a long time ago."

"Really?" He made a lot of looking at her bosom. "So I see."

She threw a cushion at him catching him full in the face.

* * *

><p><em>Thanks again to everyone who is following this story. I appreciate your support and love hearing your views. Next chapter coming soon ...<em>


	16. Trust

**Five Go Mad at Christmas**

Chapter Sixteen: Trust

Sitting by the fire Ianto looked over at the games table where Jack, Gwen, Rhys and Toshiko were continuing the same game of Monopoly. Jack was trying an illegal move – again – which the others were protesting loudly. In the background the compilation LP was playing a Stones' number; Owen's favourite group. He was sat on the couch, beating his hand in time with the music and mouthing the words.

The evening hadn't been as pleasant as this to start with. The arrival of Rhys had been the catalyst but not the cause of the disagreement. He had innocently suggested going to the pub before getting fish and chips for supper. Ianto refused to go. He had kept Owen off the booze this long, he wasn't going to expose him to temptation now. Deaf to everyone else's point of view, including Jack and Owen's, a sullen resentment had fallen over the evening. Even the fish and chips, which Gwen and Rhys had gone out for, had not lightened the mood. Ianto had been washing up alone when Jack had tried to make him realise how badly his decision was affecting the rest of the friends.

"I need to go shopping tomorrow," said Ianto. "We ought to get enough for Tosh and her dad too."

"I want the key, Ianto."

"No."

"It's dead in there. We need something to –"

"I said no! I can't bear to see Owen drunk again!"

"You can't make him into a teetotaller. He's always liked a drink and when he really needs one you've taken it away." Jack moved closer and placed his hands on Ianto's waist. "He's coping pretty well, all things considered. We should be helping him."

"I am helping him."

"No, you're not," came from the doorway. "Can I talk to him alone, Jack? Please."

"Sure. But if you need a hand knocking sense into his thick head, let me know." Jack left the room.

Ianto was now facing his cousin. "Drink isn't the answer, Owen."

"There isn't an answer, that's the bleeding problem! I'm trying to hold it together, Ianto, really I am, but it's fucking hard. I've lost my fiancée. My Katie. The pain doesn't just disappear. I feel it in here," he thumped his chest, "all the time. It's a hole that will never be filled. A pain that will never stop hurting. There's no pill I can take, I have to live with it - if I can."

"Of course you can," Ianto had closed the gap between them and now grasped Owen's upper arms. "I'll do everything I can to help."

"That's what's got me this far, and I appreciate it, but right now you're just punishing them in there." He jerked a thumb towards the living room. "And they're blaming me."

"No, they're … not." Ianto knew it was true even as he tried to deny it. "Well, not only you. Me too."

"Give it up, Ianto. I promise to stay away from the spirits and do me best not to get pissed but I need a beer. They need a beer."

"And at three in the morning? Are you going to be so firm then?"

"Probably not but if it's locked up, I won't be able to get at it, will I? I have to take each day at a time. To be honest, I'm surprised I've got this far."

"It'll get better. When you're back at work, back in a routine –"

"Shows how much you know!" interrupted Owen. "I'm dreading it! Going to the hospital, walking the wards she used to walk, expecting to see her round every corner. Even me flat's going to be hell, we had some bloody good times there. I have to face them and I will but if I need a bit of Dutch courage is it so surprising?" He looked away, wiping his watering eyes.

Ianto was shocked by Owen's passion, both the depth of feeling and the fact he'd owned up to having any feelings at all. His cynical stoicism usually hid this part of him completely. Admitting to them now showed the depth of his pain. "No, and I don't want to make it worse for you, but will you be able to stop?"

"With you badgering me all the time? No bleeding option!"

Looking over at Owen now, Ianto could see he had made the right decision to relent. The beer was relaxing Owen, dulling the pain at little, and the others were better for it too. Toshiko was the only one who had stuck to lemonade, masking her sorrow behind a too-cheery demeanour. Idly, Ianto wondered when they had all come to rely on drink so much; perhaps it was time he cut down too.

"That's it, I'm not playing if you're going to cheat," said Gwen. "Besides, time we made a move."

"You can stay if you want. Bed's still made up," said Ianto.

"Depends what we're doing in the morning."

"Ianto's shopping," said Jack. "Reckons there's nothing in the house for us to eat." His smile showed how little he believed this. The larder and fridge were not as full as they had been, but in his opinion there was still plenty to keep them going.

"There's barely enough milk for coffee in the morning. You used most of what I bought to make those pancakes." He moved slightly as Jack sat on the arm of the chair.

"I take it black," he replied with a grin.

"I don't," piped up Owen.

"I'll need a few things for next week," said Toshiko, "now Dad's coming home early." She was curled up in the other chair.

"That was sudden," put in Gwen. She was sitting beside Rhys on the couch. "Why's he coming back so soon?"

"Something came up at work apparently. Anyway, we could do the shop together, Ianto." Toshiko affected indifference for Gwen's benefit but inside she was not looking forward to her dad's return. He had a lot to explain.

"Good idea. The house needs a good clean too," went on Ianto, "and there's more washing to be done."

"I'm glad I'm working," said Rhys. "Sounds like you're all going to be busy." He worked most Saturdays, finishing in mid-afternoon unless an urgent job kept him later.

Not wanting to get caught up in housework, Gwen said, "I'd just be in the way, so we will go home." She intended to go to Rhys's flat for an hour or two. "Could meet up later tomorrow, if you want."

"We said we might drop in on Mam," said Ianto. "I'd like to see her before I go back to London."

"I could meet you there."

"I'll check what she's doing and let you know."

-ooOoo-

Sleep did not come easily to most of the friends that night and at three o'clock four of them were awake.

In Penarth, Gwen sat smoking and looking out of the window at the familiar houses opposite. The family had moved here when she was two years old and she had not lived anywhere else since. Holidays and occasional nights with friends were the only times she had slept away from home and she had always loved coming back and being among her own things. Cupboards and shelves held the relics of twenty years, from the battered teddy bear received as a christening present to the collection of dolls in national costume and the toy policeman's helmet, a gift from Rhys when she graduated. Hidden among them was the cork from the champagne bottle drunk with Phil Surtees on their first date. Memories – good and bitter-sweet - were associated with them all. But she could be leaving this place and the security it offered. When they arrived at his flat, Rhys had sunk to one knee like a prat and proposed. Even aware he had been thinking of it, having thought about it herself, Gwen was unprepared when the question was actually put to her. There was so much she would lose if she accepted – her independence most of all – but there was a lot to be gained too. She had not given Rhys an answer, begging for time to consider, and had soothed his disappointment by initiating some kinky sex. He was a good man but did she want to spend the rest of her life with him? Indecision was keeping her awake.

In Sully, Toshiko lay awake staring up at the ceiling. She had slept only fitfully. Hot milk before she retired had helped at first but her dreams had been full of Mary and their brief time together. Six meetings. They had been together only six times, just a few hours spread over five days. Such a short time that had not ended well and yet … and yet. Toshiko could still feel Mary's hands on her body, her lips and tongue too. And she could smell Mary's perfume, an exotic blend that might have been alien pheromones for all she knew. A wave of pleasure coursed through Toshiko's body at the memory and she accepted and savoured it until it passed. She was alone again, probably forever. She buried her head in her pillow and let the tears flow.

Across the landing, Owen was sitting cross-legged on the floor. He had tried sleep only to give up within an hour. Lying in the narrow bed, his brain had gone into overdrive. A montage of images flashed before his eyes, all visions of the woman he would never see again. Katie sucking the end of a Biro on the other side of the lecture room. Katie doubled up with laugher when he had fallen over ice-skating. Katie holding the hand of a dying child. Katie smiling broadly and agreeing to marry him. Katie lying sleeping beside him, hair spread over the pillow. He was too sober to deal with the hollow feeling inside. He had gone downstairs to find a book until Ianto had come to check on him, fearing the worst. Now he was reading a stash of comics he had found in a drawer. Desperate Dan and Dennis the Menace amused him and kept his mind from Katie. At least until the sleeping pills Ianto had persuaded him to take finally took effect.

In the adjoining bedroom, Ianto lay on his back quite still. As long as he could hear movement from Owen's room he knew his cousin was safe. Danger lay downstairs and Ianto was on guard, ready to step in to save Owen from himself. As he had before except … Except Owen had not been trying to find a drink, he had been browsing the bookcase, an array of rejected titles beside him. Was Ianto being overly protective? Should he, as Jack advised, let Owen find his own way? Glancing to his left, Ianto smiled at the sight of Jack. He was on his side, facing inwards, very peaceful in sleep. The dark stubble gave him a rakish, piratical look. He'd be a good outlaw, heroic enough to stand alongside Robin Hood and Dick Turpin. Ianto smiled at the daydream, imagining himself as Jack's right-hand man, the one who followed behind clearing up after him just like he did now. Ears still alert for Owen, Ianto let his imagination take flight as he and Jack became every hero and trusty lieutenant from history and literature until he drifted off to sleep.

-ooOoo-

"This is a stupid idea."

"Nonsense, the fresh air will do you good," Jack said briskly. "You've missed a bit on that wheel."

"My hands are frozen."

"They can't be, the water's warm." He had dragged Owen out to help wash the car after Ianto and Toshiko had gone shopping.

"And the wind's cold!"

"Stop complaining. You rather be dusting?" Ianto had drawn up a list of tasks for them but Jack had ignored it in favour of cleaning his beloved Triumph.

Owen's grumbles continued but at a lower volume. The pills had given him a few hours sleep and left him lethargic but feeling better than after a heavy night's drinking. Being outside, even in the cold, was perking him up and preferable to being indoors. Wiping the grimy hubcap, he felt proud of himself for getting through the night without the aid of drink. If he could do it once he could do it again.

They were rinsing the bodywork when Suzie Costello walked round from the back of the house. "'Morning."

"Where'd you come from!" said Owen, startled by her unexpected appearance.

"The beach. Nice car."

"Thanks," replied Jack. "Can we help you?"

"Any chance of a coffee?"

Owen looked from one to other and decided he didn't want to know why she had come. "You make it. I'll finish this."

"Okay, I'll bring you one out." Jack led the way into the kitchen. "What are you here for?"

"Brought this." Suzie set a bag on the table and took out a small iridescent vase. "And I thought you might like an update."

Pouring coffee into mugs, he passed one to Owen through the window and took the other two to the table. "Thanks for that." He nodded towards the vase.

"How is she?"

"Tosh? Okay. Still pretty upset but not showing it." He sipped the coffee, the remains of Ianto's breakfast brew.

"And Harper?" She could just see him buffing the car through the window.

"Getting there. I'm sure that's not why you're here."

She eyed him over the rim of the mug as she drank. "Don't you follow up on cases in London? Down here we like to do a job properly."

He snorted. "I don't know why there's this rivalry between London and Cardiff but I'm not part of it."

She laughed at his naivety. "All of us in the provinces hate London. You're obsessed with capturing everything alien and squirrelling it away, taking the stuff we find too. It isn't right. Hoarding information and stifling initiative is short-sighted. When we have a nationwide emergency we need to work together or we're beaten before we start."

"I'm on holiday. Leave your grand speeches for some other time."

"I thought you might understand. You and Jones aren't like the other London operatives, and Takahiro speaks highly of you."

Jack was pleased; Mr Sato's opinion meant a lot to him. "If you're really wrapping up the case, Gwen did some research. Confirms Mary was around at the time of the other deaths." He summarised it for her in a few sentences. "Gwen's a good investigator, I trust her to be accurate."

"That's helpful, thanks." She took a last swallow of coffee. "Worth coming here just for the coffee."

"I'll pass on the compliment to Ianto."

"London aren't happy about what happened. No great surprise there! Reckon we should have captured Mary or at least transported her to them where they could have secured her."

"Alex's plan was better."

"I agree. Anyway, wanted to warn you. You'll probably get some heat when go back in. When is that?"

"Tuesday." Jack had already had a heads-up from Mac. The Scotsman had telephoned that morning before setting off for Edinburgh. According to him, it was a lot of 'blather over nothing' that would die down as quickly as it had blown up. London was more concerned about Owen knowing about Torchwood and were bugging his flat and telephone to check he did not leak the information. They'd even considered doing the same for Toshiko until they'd come to their senses. "Same day your boss is coming back."

"Shame he has to cut short his holiday. He really loves his daughter."

"Never doubted it. They'll have time to sort things out before she goes back to college."

A few minutes later Suzie had gone, off back through the garden and along the beach to the public car park. Jack went out to help Owen with the car.

-ooOoo-

Mrs Jones tapped on her daughter's bedroom door. "Rhi, can I come in?"

"Yeah."

The room was at the back of the house. Not large to begin with, it looked smaller with the many furry animals Rhiannon loved dotted around and the clothes spilling out of the wardrobe. At present, the contents of the chest of drawers strewn across the single bed added to the disorder. Rhiannon was sorting out her clothes, setting aside those she no longer wore for a forthcoming church jumble sale. With marriage only weeks away, and a baby in a few months, she had been seized with the need to clear out the old and prepare for the new.

"How's it going?"

"Not bad. Got loads of tops that can go and these skirts."

"The church will be grateful, they sell well." Mrs Jones perched on a chair. "I hope you won't go out as soon as they arrive."

"Oh, Mam! I already said. I'll be on my best behaviour, though why I should be I don't know."

"Because Ianto is your brother and family should stick together. You never know when you'll need his help. And besides," Mrs Jones went on when Rhiannon began to object, "I want you to get on. Please, just do it for me."

"All right. When are they coming?" She held a green blouse up to the light and decided to keep it.

"About four. We're eating later but you'll have gone to Johnny's by then."

Mrs Jones had invited Ianto and his friends to come round for high tea. She enjoyed their company and wanted to show her support for him and Jack. She also felt it was important Ianto and Rhiannon met again before he returned to London; their last meeting had been angry and confrontational. Both had promised to behave but she knew how fragile their promises could be.

"His mam says there are some flats going up near them. Might be able to get one if we're lucky."

The two women chatted for a while before Mrs Jones went to tidy her hair and apply a little makeup. The meal was ready to be put in the oven and the dining table was set. There was nothing she could do until Ianto and the others arrived. Rhiannon was in the bathroom getting ready for her evening out when Mrs Jones went downstairs. The fire was burning well in the front room but she put more coal on anyway.

Standing in the quiet room, with just the crackle of the fire and the clock ticking, she wondered what it would be like once Rhiannon had gone. The student lodgers had never been company, always studying or out in the evening, and she'd miss having someone to talk to. The television and radio kept the silence at bay but they didn't respond like a person did. She visited Mary Cooper and her other friends, for supper or just a chat, and had them over, but they had busy lives and she didn't like to trespass on their kindness by asking too often. Perhaps when the baby came she would be needed for babysitting. Rhi and Johnny would want a few nights out. The doorbell interrupted her thoughts. She'd think about the future later, not now. Now she had guests to entertain.

Two hours later the house was full of people. In the kitchen, Mrs Jones, Gwen and Toshiko were preparing to serve the shepherd's pie and vegetables. The boys were in the front room watching _The Dick Emery Show._ Jack and Owen were laughing loudly but Ianto did not find the camp portrayal of homosexuals funny and left them to it. Coming out of the bathroom, he bumped into Rhiannon leaving her bedroom. She had been with them earlier but had come up to get her coat. The siblings had been civil and tensions had eased but they were still wary.

"Rhi, glad I caught you. I'm a bit worried about Mam, how she'll cope after you've moved out. Will you let me know how she's doing?"

"We don't know for sure we'll get a place, not straightaway. Might have to wait a bit." She tried not to be defensive but knew that was how it sounded.

"I know. It's just you know what Mam's like. She'll say she's all right but I'd like to know for sure." He tried to be reasonable and not snap but it was an effort. "It's difficult, being so far away."

She wanted to say he should have stayed in Cardiff if he was so worried. That she had been the one looking out for their mam since he had gone off to America and then London. But instead she said, "Yeah, all right."

"Thanks. I was thinking about the wedding, about a present for you and Johnny, and wondered … Well, I wondered if you'd thought about a honeymoon. If you'd like a weekend in London at a posh hotel perhaps. I'd like to give you something you'd enjoy, not a toaster!"

Taken aback by the generous offer, she stammered, "Thanks. I, um, I don't know really. We hadn't expected to go away."

"You should. It doesn't have to be London, could be anywhere. Think about it, talk it over with Johnny and let me know."

"I will. Thanks, Ianto, thanks a lot."

"Well, better not hold you up and it sounds like tea's ready." Having made the offer he now wanted to get away.

Mrs Jones was delighted to see her children coming downstairs together, both smiling. "Tea's ready, Ianto. And there's plenty if you want to stay, Rhi."

"No. Thanks but I said I'd go see Johnny's mam." Rhiannon was adjusting her woollen hat in the hall mirror. "Don't want to be late. I'll, um, see you sometime then, Ianto."

"Yeah. Have a good evening."

"Don't be too late in, dear." Mrs Jones opened the front door. "You need proper sleep."

"I won't. Bye."

Closing the door, Mrs Jones said, "Thank you for making the effort tonight, cariad. I know it wasn't easy."

"Rhi wasn't as annoying as usual. I suppose you had a chat to her too."

"I might have."

-ooOoo-

The Albion had the usual Saturday night regulars in which included a greater number of wives and girlfriends. It wasn't a trendy pub – there was no jukebox or one-armed bandits - but the friends liked the atmosphere and had decided to stop there after leaving Mrs Jones. They stayed at the bar until a table near the fire came free when the girls and Owen went to sit down. Jack and Ianto continued to chat to the old men, friends of Ianto's late father, for a while before moving to the table.

"You did a great job tonight."

"Mam laid enough guilt on both of us. We didn't have an option." Ianto watched Owen but he was still on the same pint of beer.

"You still did great." Jack patted him on the back, letting his hand linger. "Looks like you could do with another round," he said to the others. "Same again?"

They all agreed and Jack went back to the bar. Ianto sat by Owen and they began setting up dominoes for a game. Across from them, Toshiko glanced at Gwen and wondered what was bothering her. Something was clearly on her mind, she had been distracted most of the afternoon and quieter than normal.

"Is everything okay, Gwen?" Her voice was low and the others did not hear, too busy concentrating on their game.

"Yeah."

"Sure?"

"Everything's fine." Gwen smiled and reached for her cigarettes. She had been unable to concentrate all day, considering Rhys's proposal and deciding first one way and then the other. It would have helped to talk about it but talking weddings was not fair on Toshiko so soon after another rejection. This was something she had to decide alone, unless … She got up suddenly and went to the bar.

* * *

><p><em>Next time, the friends prepare to welcome the New Year <em>


	17. Year's End

_Gwen has something on her mind ..._

* * *

><p><strong>Five Go Mad at Christmas<strong>

Chapter Seventeen: Year's End

It was another cold, still night. The streets were deserted, most people preferring to stay indoors in the warmth. Jack and Gwen walked slowly along the familiar streets of Penarth not talking. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye wondering what was bothering her so much. She was smoking nervously, flicking the ash away after every drag.

"What's the matter, Gwen?"

"I just need … I need someone to … to talk to. Someone who'll listen and not judge." She stubbed out her cigarette and reached for another. Her gloved fingers slipped and the packet dropped to the ground. "Damn!"

"I've got it." He stooped and picked it up, getting out a cigarette for her before taking the lighter. "Let's sit down for a minute and you can tell me all about it." He steered her to a bus shelter.

She perched on the narrow wooden seat and took a drag of nicotine. "It's not terrible or anything," she said.

"Good." He waited. She had requested a private discussion and they had managed to leave the others in the pub on the pretence that she wanted an escort to walk her home. Yet now she seemed reluctant to speak. "Is it work? Your folks? Rhys?"

"All of the above," she said with a nervous laugh.

He placed a hand on her arm. "Just tell me."

"Last night, after I left you lot, I went back with Rhys. We, umm, well he asked me to marry him."

Jack waited but that appeared to be it. He had expected some shattering revelation and instead been presented with an anti-climatic statement. "And you said?"

"That I needed time. I didn't … I had no idea what to say, Jack! And I still don't!"

He put an arm round her and pulled her close. "Daft sausage, you must have known he'd ask sometime. Frankly, I'm surprised he's waited this long. Your folks like him and we all do, so what's the problem?"

"I don't know if I want to marry him!" she wailed. "Don't laugh, it isn't funny!"

"I'm sorry, but it is. Seems a pretty simple choice to me," he chuckled.

She pulled away. "It isn't simple. I thought you'd help but I can see I was wrong." She made to stand up but he grabbed her arm and stopped her.

"Of course, I'll help. You love Rhys, I know that, so I suppose this is about not losing your independence, right?"

"Yes. No. It's complicated."

"So tell me."

Taking a drag on the cigarette to steady her nerves, she said, "You're right, I do love Rhys. He's a great guy and he'd be a good husband. Loyal, dependable, all the things a husband should be."

"But not exciting." He knew she liked a certain frisson in her relationships and while Rhys had loosened up a bit since moving to Cardiff, he was not the most scintillating man in the world.

"He has his moments. But there's my job. It's not easy to run a house when you're working shifts, having to do overtime and being called in for emergencies at a moment's notice."

"That just an excuse. Rhys is quite capable of looking after himself, and you too probably. He'd have no hang-ups about doing the housework. And he knows all about your work schedule. Or is he wanting you to give up work?"

"No, no he's not." She took a final drag on the cigarette and crushed it underfoot. "It wouldn't be easy but, you're right, we'd manage."

He waited but she didn't say any more, staring up the road to the right. "You don't know how lucky you are. I'd give anything to be able to marry Ianto," he said softly.

She turned back to him immediately. "Really? You and he … you'd …" Marriage between two men was a new concept and she took a moment to consider it. They loved one another but couldn't be together openly, couldn't marry and have all the security that went with it and here she was moaning about being able to do all those things. "I'm sorry."

"We'll survive. But you've been offered a great opportunity, one I envy you. Don't throw it away unless you have a damned good reason."

"It's being tied down. And … I've not been faithful to Rhys, there've been others." She bit her lip and looked down at her clasped hands. "I don't think I can promise not to see other men."

He reached across and put a hand over hers. "Which means more to you, Rhys or the chance to fool around? I know you, Gwen, you've always liked a bit of excitement and I guess skulking around with another guy gives you that. But remember, you always come back to Rhys. Must be a reason."

"I don't want to hurt him."

"You don't think you have already?"

"He doesn't know."

"Sure of that? He's not stupid and Cardiff is a small place."

Her head came up and she stared at him, her expression stricken. "Do you think he does? Has he said anything?"

"Not to me. But it wouldn't surprise me all the same."

"I couldn't bear it if he knew."

"Why?"

"I don't want him to … think less of me."

He pulled her into a hug. "You need to talk to him. Who knows, maybe he wouldn't mind a more open marriage. You don't live in one another's pockets, as it is. Like tonight, he's out with his pals while you're with us. No reason for that to change because of a piece of paper."

"Are you saying he wouldn't mind me having lovers?" She was incredulous. "What sort of a relationship do you and Ianto have!"

He laughed. "If you're imagining three-in-a-bed romps, you'll be disappointed. I don't want anyone else and I don't think he does either. But if it came down to it, I'd accept him having a fling rather than lose him. I think Rhys loves you that much too."

"Do you? Really?"

"Of course he does. He wouldn't have put up with you this long otherwise! Not that I'm condoning you sleeping with any man that comes your way. It won't bring happiness."

"No, I guess not."

"I'm sure not." He grinned mischievously. "However much fun it would be!"

She had to laugh, imagining the pair of them working their way through the male population of Cardiff.

"That's better. At the end of the day, Gwen, only you can decide. No amount of advice from me or anyone else will be of any use. But, just one thing, don't take too long making up your mind. Rhys deserves an answer, one way or the other. Now, let's get you home. It's cold and you need to do some thinking." He stood, pulling her up with him.

-ooOoo-

It was dark outside when Toshiko woke suddenly. She lay gathering her wits and wondered what had disturbed her. The dream of living with Mary on an alien world faded until all she remembered was the feeling of wonder and the soundtrack of _2001: A Space Odyssey_ in the background. A door closed, quietly enough, but she decided that something similar was what had woken her. Footsteps along the landing then down the stairs. Just one of the boys up early. She turned onto her side and closed her eyes but sleep would not come. Reaching out, she put on the lamp.

The clock said six forty, later than she had imagined. They'd not been late to bed once they'd got back from the pub and she'd slept surprisingly well. Mary was still in her thoughts, and there were moments when life seemed a barren wasteland, but she could see light at the end of the tunnel. It was the last day of the year, New Year's Eve, and an appropriate time for looking forward. Next year, 1969, was going to be busy. Most important were her studies; she had to do well in her Finals and get the First everyone expected. After that, she needed a job. Her tutor had half-promised a Fellowship which was flattering. However, her grandfather wanted her to join his electronics firm, to research anything that interested her not just new products. She'd have more freedom with him and could live in London near Jack and Ianto as well as Grandfather and the Aunts. Family. The new year held a more immediate challenge; her father would be home in a couple of days. She still felt betrayed by him. His secrecy had put her life – and her friends' lives - in danger.

Anger drove her from her bed; she couldn't lie there any longer. She visited the bathroom then went downstairs. The kitchen light was on. "Ianto. Wondered who was up," she said as she entered.

"Couldn't sleep and didn't want to wake Jack. Coffee is made." He did not get up from the table.

"Anything in the paper?" Yesterday's was spread out in front of him.

"The usual round-up of the year's events. Lots of speculation about the moon too. When the Americans will land on it, what it's made of it. You know the sort of stuff they churn out."

"Be like Earth, I should think," she said, taking the seat opposite him. "Not cheese anyway."

He smiled. "Be amazing if they do get there. Remember President Kennedy's speech saying they'd do it before the end of the sixties? Seems he might be right."

"Pity he didn't live to see it." She sipped the coffee. "Get anything out of Jack?" They had speculated about why he and Gwen had slipped off the previous night.

"No, he's being very secretive."

"Not like him." She remembered that Jack, like Ianto, had kept their involvement with Torchwood secret. "No, I take that back, maybe it is."

"It was necessary, Tosh." He refused to apologise any further. Everyone had secrets of one sort or another.

"Yeah. Sorry. So we still don't know what's wrong with Gwen. Can't be anything too serious or Jack would have looked worried."

"If I had to chose, I'd say he was amused." Ianto had tried hinting, asking outright and feigned indifference (which normally drove Jack mad) but had got nowhere. "I expect we'll find out soon."

"I hope she's not going to mope about all day." Toshiko laughed suddenly. "Listen to me, you've had to put up with me moping about for months!"

He placed a hand on her wrist where it poked out of her dressing gown sleeve. "But not now. Forget the past, forgive your dad and look to the future."

"Not sure about Dad, but the rest? Yeah, I think I am ready for that. Finally."

"Excellent. Think I'll go and have a bath before Jack and Owen want to get in there. Unless you want –"

"No, you go ahead. Want some breakfast when you're done?"

"Please." He stood up. "Be about half an hour."

"Take as long as you like. We're in no rush." They were spending the day at the house. Gwen and Rhys were coming over and they were planning a lazy day in readiness for joining other revellers at the Castle to see in the New Year.

"Isn't it nice?" He smiled and kissed the top of her head as he passed. "A lazy end to 1968." He went out humming softly.

-ooOoo-

The three boys had been reluctant to accept the invitation to lunchtime drinks with Jim and Margie Carson, the next door neighbours, but Toshiko had persuaded them. The Carsons had been good friends to the Satos and she didn't want to offend them. The party involved everyone in the road and it was quite a crowd, spilling into all the downstairs rooms. The older women congregated mainly in the kitchen, exchanging news and gossip. The men and young people were in the living room which had been extended by opening the doors into the dining room. In the crush, Ianto became separated from the others, cornered near the window by a former schoolteacher and subjected to a long harangue about the irresponsible youth of today. Owen stuck to Toshiko, standing silent by her side as she moved around the room chatting and being pleasant. He knew no one and hoped they wouldn't have to stay long. A gaggle of young teenagers, from ten to fifteen years old, surrounded Jack in the dining room making a lot of noise.

A little after one o'clock, Toshiko began to make her excuses. Gwen and Rhys were expected for lunch and she had to be ready for their arrival. Expertly weaving through the crowd she gathered up Ianto and Jack and they left fifteen minutes later. Under umbrellas, it had been drizzling all morning, they walked quickly home.

"That was fun," said Jack. He was with Toshiko, trying to keep them both dry under an umbrella that did not want to co-operate.

"I enjoyed it too," she agreed. "They're nice people."

"If you say so," put in Owen. He had his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket, trying to keep them warm.

"At least you weren't lumbered with Snoopy Snell. I had no idea he'd moved out here." Ianto was vaguely jealous of Jack who had had such a good time.

"Well, it's over now. We've done our duty and can chill out for the rest of the day," said Jack. He was keen to keep everyone on good terms for the final day of their holiday. He held the umbrella at a new angle as Toshiko opened the front door.

"I'm sorry you didn't enjoy it," said Toshiko, hanging up her coat. "Perhaps I should have gone on my own."

"Ignore these moaners. Didn't hurt them to give up an hour." Jack placed the wet umbrella beside Ianto's in the stand.

More perceptive than usual, Owen noticed Toshiko's unease. "Suppose it was all right. Had some good nosh."

"Those pigs in blankets were fab," agreed Ianto. "I'm going to get changed. You ought to get out of that suit, Jack. Don't want to mess it up."

The pair of them and Toshiko went upstairs. Not having any finery to wear, courtesy of Jack's packing, Owen had no need to change. He wandered into the living room and stood looking out of the French windows at the dismal day. The forecast was for it to blow over but it didn't look promising at the moment. Maybe if it stayed like this they wouldn't go to the Castle which would suit him. Last year he and Katie had gone with a group of friends to Trafalgar Square. They had watched some idiots splashing in the fountains and sung _Auld Lang Syne_ with the hundreds of people gathered around the giant Christmas tree. Then, after the fireworks, they had strolled back to her flat, making resolutions for the next twelve months and beyond. But there wasn't to be a future for Katie. She had only had the twelve months and that was far, far too short a time.

"Owen?"

A hand on his shoulder startled Owen and he turned quickly. "Jeez, Jack, don't creep up a bloke like that!"

"You all right?"

"Yeah, why shouldn't I be?" He shook off Jack's hand and went over to the fire, bending to turn it on. "Need this, it's chilly in here."

"If you want to talk, I'm ready to listen." Owen had got through the night without booze again. He'd had drunk no more than the rest of them all day, less than he'd normally have on a Saturday night. Jack assumed Owen had taken more of the sleeping pills but didn't like to ask.

"I don't, not particularly." Owen slumped in a chair.

"Might help." Jack sat opposite. He was annoyed when loud voices in the hallway announced the arrival of Gwen and Rhys. "We can go somewhere quiet," he offered.

"No, ta." Owen looked up gratefully when the door opened and Ianto and Rhys appeared. "Hiya, Rhys, how are you?"

"Okay, thanks."

"Good." Owen sought for something else to say. They did not have a lot in common and usually relied on Gwen to keep a conversation going. "Busy today?" he asked at last, thinking it was a fairly safe subject.

The two of them got into a discussion of cars. Owen's mechanical knowledge was limited but he liked the flashier models which provided a point of contact with the Welshman. Jack gave up the chair to Rhys and joined Ianto looking through the records.

In the kitchen, Gwen and Toshiko worked together preparing lunch. They chatted about this and that but with less animation than usual. Gwen was still mulling over her answer to Rhys's proposal. She had decided that she would give him one before the night was over but still didn't know if it would be 'yes' or 'no'. After being sociable at the Carsons', Toshiko felt tired out. It had been an effort, a sign that recent events were still affecting her. If she didn't get a nap, she'd never make it to midnight.

"You going to be all right staying here on your own?" asked Gwen.

"It's only one night. I'll be fine." Jack, Ianto and Owen were leaving the next day and her father would not arrive until late the day after.

"I'm working or I'd have come to keep you company."

"Really, I'll be fine. That's enough carrots." They were having roast pork and all the trimmings with treacle tart to follow. "Could you do the cabbage while I clear up these pots?"

"Okay." They continued their tasks in silence.

-ooOoo-

After the late lunch the boys and Gwen went out for a walk. The weather had cleared although it was still dull and they enjoyed stretching their legs. Toshiko straightened the dining room then fell asleep on the couch only waking when the others returned. The rest restored her and she felt better able to face the rest of the day. Ianto and Jack disappeared upstairs to start on their packing leaving a gulf behind them. Until then, no one had noticed how much the pair did to make things go with a swing. Without them, Gwen sat lost in thought, not joining Rhys on the couch. Owen was also quiet, imagining the imminent return to London and wondering how he was going to cope on his own. For his part, Rhys was ill at ease, glancing surreptitiously at Gwen but not saying anything.

"Cup of tea?" asked Toshiko. She couldn't stay in the room any longer. They all grunted or nodded and she made her escape. A few minutes later Rhys followed her into the kitchen.

"Can I help? I'm quite handy," he said. He stood by the door awkwardly, not knowing what to do for the best.

"Think I've got it all covered, thanks. Do you know what's wrong with Gwen?" She happened to be facing him and saw the pained expression on his face.

"She hasn't said? I was sure she'd have talked to you."

"Not a word." She waited, teapot in hand.

"I proposed. Friday night, it was. I thought she'd jump at it but …"

Toshiko was shocked and hastily put down the teapot. "She refused you?" Was Gwen still hankering after that policeman? Toshiko couldn't remember his name. If she was, she was a fool.

"No. Hasn't made up her mind, so she says. But longer it goes on … well, it doesn't look good, does it?"

"Not necessarily. Better to think it through properly before making a decision." Toshiko went back to making the tea. Why hadn't Gwen mentioned it? Normally they discussed everything. With a guilty start, Toshiko remembered all she was hiding. And she had been moping after Owen and Mary. No wonder Gwen had not spoken to her, choosing Jack as a confidant instead.

"If she loved me, she wouldn't have to think about it." Rhys's expression became bleak.

Impulsively, she crossed the room and hugged him. "Don't be so down on yourself. Gwen likes her freedom, you know that. I expect she's wary of giving that up. She just needs to be sure."

"I'd never tie her down. I love her just the way she is."

"She's lucky to have you, Rhys Williams. And don't you forget it!" The kettle boiled and she went to attend to it. When she looked round, Rhys had gone. Picking up the tray, she resolved to have words with Gwen if she could get her alone.

Upstairs, Jack and Ianto were on the bed. Any pretence at packing had been pushed aside in favour of other, more pleasurable, pursuits. Ianto rolled them over ending up on top and pinned Jack to the bed.

"We shouldn't be doing this, not when they're downstairs."

"You really want to stop?" Jack caressed Ianto's cock. "Doesn't feel like it to me." They laughed softly then kissed before making more urgent demands.

Half an hour later they entered the living room. Jack was finishing off a story. " … and the dog ran away." He laughed uproariously.

"It's not that funny." Ianto had noticed the atmosphere in the room. "You're all very quiet."

Toshiko looked up and smiled, grateful for their presence. She had tried to get the others chatting but they were lost in their own worlds or, like Owen, pretending to be asleep. "We missed you."

"Ah, that's normal. We're the life and soul of every party," said Jack. "Let's get some music going."

Just a few minutes later the Bee Gees were singing _Massachusetts_ and Jack had pulled Toshiko up to dance. Half an hour later, the atmosphere was buzzing and they were all on their feet dancing. Only when they were exhausted, did they turn the music off and switch on the television. The good mood continued as they argued about what to watch, ending up with a costume drama that was so bad it had them in stitches. Around eight, they had sandwiches and coffee before getting ready to go out. The weather was still dry but very cold so they wrapped up well in gloves, hats and scarves before jumping into two cars and driving into the city. The place was buzzing with lots of people, young and old, out to see in the New Year. The pubs had extended licences and were beacons of light and music. The friends dived into one in St Mary Street and pushed their way to the bar for a drink to keep them going. At half eleven they went to the Castle.

Ianto made a point of walking with Owen. "You've been quiet. Everything all right?"

"Can't help thinking about last year."

"With Katie?"

"Yeah. If I'd known it was going to be her last …"

"None of us know, Owen. And I bet if she had, she'd not have changed a thing." His attention was diverted by Jack who was staring at his pager. _Damn, if he's called away again I'll scream,_ thought Ianto.

"Let's go this way," said Gwen. "Get a good view over there." She led the way, aware of Rhys's hand in the small of her back and liking it. Toshiko and Owen followed them, anxious not to get separated.

Jack was heading back the way they had come, pushing against the crowd. Once clear, he walked quickly to a telephone box and stepped inside. He was frowning when he put the receiver down and pushed open the heavy door.

"What is it?" Ianto asked. He had followed, unwilling to let Jack out of his sight.

"Not sure. Alex wants me in the Hub."

"Not tonight, Jack. Not again."

"Normally I wouldn't but … There was something, something weird. I'm going to have to go."

"Then I'm coming too. No arguments, I'm not going to change my mind." Together, they jogged back to the car.

* * *

><p><em>What does Alex want? How will the friends react when they realise Jack and Ianto have left? Find out in the next chapter, coming soon ... <em>


	18. Seeing in the New Year

_I am surprised no one guessed where I was going with this story. Surprised but pleased. We rejoin the friends preparing to celebrate the arrival of the New Year ..._

* * *

><p><strong>Five Go Mad at Christmas<strong>

Chapter Eighteen: Seeing in the New Year

The vantage point was to the right of the Castle gate on the opposite side of the road. Over the course of a number of years, Gwen had worked out this was the best place to see the count down clock and the fireworks without being in the thick of the crowd. There were a lot of people around, probably as the weather was better than usual. Running an expert eye over the throng, she decided there wouldn't be any trouble other than the usual pickpockets and fistfights. The police officers patrolling the area clearly thought the same, staying well back and letting the crowd alone.

"It'll be a good night," she said to Toshiko. She had to shout over the many Welsh voices raised in song accompanied by a military band.

"Who's doing the count down this year?"

"Mayor, I think." She looked over as Rhys pushed through to join them. "Did you find them?"

"They've gone. Went off down St Mary's, back to the cars I suppose," he reported.

"What's this?" asked Owen.

"Jack and Ianto, they've gone off somewhere," replied Gwen, irritated.

"Why? What did they say?"

Rhys shrugged. "I wasn't close enough to talk to them. Jack came out of the 'phone box and they took off."

"'Phone box? Jack was making a call?" demanded Toshiko.

"Suppose." He shrugged again.

"What is it, Tosh?" Gwen recognised that look; Toshiko was onto something.

A huge cheer drowned her reply. Frustrated, Toshiko gestured for them to follow and eased out of the crowd. She didn't make a lot of headway until Rhys took the lead creating a space for the others to follow. They turned into Working Street and finally got free of people.

"You're like those ice-breaking ships, Rhys," said Owen with a grin. "Crowds parting in front of you."

"Trust you to be rude!" snapped Gwen.

"It's okay, Gwen," soothed Rhys.

"No, it's not! Owen's always criticising other people. Didn't see him doing anything to get us out of the crowd!"

"Shut up, Gwen!" Toshiko's command had the desired effect. "About time you cut Owen some slack. I'm the one he hurt, not you! I've forgiven him and it's time you did too."

"Have you? Have you really?" asked Owen gently. It mattered more than he could say. He had dropped her without much thought, too caught up in his new love to care about her feelings. Only in the last few days had he realised the pain he had caused.

"Yes," she said with a smile. There was a moment's silence as Toshiko and Owen hugged.

Gwen looked on, annoyed at being told off but still pleased Toshiko had let go of the past. When they broke apart, Gwen cleared her throat and said, "You were trying to tell us something, Tosh."

"Oh yes. Jack shot off after making a call on Christmas Eve too." She left the thought hanging in the air, aware Gwen and Rhys knew nothing about Torchwood, and looked meaningfully at Owen. He would know what she meant.

"You think it's …" he said, cottoning on fast. He knew exactly where Jack had gone on Christmas Eve - to collect him from Torchwood London.

"What are you two on about?" demanded Gwen. "Is it work again? Jack must be bloody important if he's been called in again."

"Do you think," began Toshiko hesitantly, "that she's come back?" Her gaze was fixed on Owen's face. For her, Torchwood could only be associated with Mary.

"I doubt it. But, who knows? It was nighttime I suppose, the sun was down." He managed a smile, not wanting to dash her hopes completely.

"Who are you talking about?" asked Gwen forcefully. She hated being out of the loop. "What do you two know that I don't?"

"I have to find out," said Toshiko, still talking to Owen. "Will you come with me?"

Gwen took Toshiko's arm and turned her round until they were facing. "You're going nowhere 'til you explain."

"I can't, Gwen. It's a secret." As soon as she said it, Toshiko knew she had made a mistake. Her words were like a red rag to a bull.

"Secret! You're keeping secrets from me! No wonder I feel like an outsider with you lot." Turned away, tears pricking at her eyes, she hated that it mattered so much.

"We haven't got time for this," said Owen. "Come on, Tosh, we'll find a taxi."

"Hang on." Rhys had watched and listened and was still no nearer knowing what was going on. However, he was not going to let them get away leaving Gwen upset. She deserved better from them. "I've got the car and I'll take you wherever you want to go. You can explain on the way."

Toshiko and Owen exchanged a questioning look. It would be quicker to accept than try and find a taxi, especially as they didn't know the address of where they wanted to go. But it meant Rhys and Gwen would be with them. Deciding to cross that bridge when she came to it, Toshiko said, "Okay. Let's go."

-ooOoo-

The streets of Tiger Bay were as unwelcoming as ever. No one was out on the streets to celebrate. Either they had gone to the city centre or had stayed indoors. _Or,_ thought Ianto with a shiver, _they're lurking in the shadows for stray motorists like us. _He held on as Jack took the corner just a shade too fast, one wheel mounting the pavement.

"Slow down. Why's it so urgent?"

"Don't know. Just something in Alex's voice." Jack stared straight ahead, hands gripping the steering wheel as he navigated through the streets he barely knew. "Something's wrong, I'm sure of it."

"You sure he wasn't winding you up? They've got a thing about London, probably think it was funny to drag us down here and spoil our fun."

"It wasn't like that."

They drove in silence for a few minutes. All the streets looked the same to Ianto. Narrow with terraced houses on both sides between large warehouses, the streets were devoid of anything to distinguish them from one another except that some were cobbled. He could only hope Jack knew where he was going.

"We shouldn't have left the others. We should have told them where we were going."

"No time. Besides, someone ought to enjoy the celebrations," said Jack. He slowed and peered up the street to the right, decided it wasn't the one he wanted and continued to the next junction.

Ianto glanced at his watch as they passed under one of the few streetlights: 11.43. "Not long now, soon be 1969."

Jack turned up a slightly wider street and accelerated. This was the one he wanted … and there was the chandler's shop. He drew up under the Player's advertising sign and turned off the engine. "You can stay here if you want."

"I'll be safer inside."

They got out of the car and walked to the shop. "Alex said he'd leave the door open," said Jack. He tried the handle and it opened silently. The interior was completely dark and silent but it wasn't worth wasting time finding the light switches. "Keep hold of my coat."

"Should I lock the door?" Ianto had already closed it.

"No. Might need a quick getaway."

Moving carefully, Jack led the way between stacks of goods. Behind him, Ianto held onto the belt of Jack's greatcoat and wondered if coming here was such a good idea. It was like walking into a dark cave, even smelt that way. They stumbled into a heap of coiled rope and fell, barking shins and knees on the bare boards.

"Damn! You okay?" asked Jack.

"I think so."

On their feet again, they continued more slowly this time. Jack banged into the counter and followed it to the storeroom door. This too was unlocked and Jack carried on, more confidently. He knew there was a clear passage through the room to the reinforced door at the back. Light flooded in when they opened this door and they stopped, squinting and blinking for several seconds. With finger to his lips, Jack looked over the railing. Ianto saw the colour drain from his face.

"What is it?" he whispered, moving alongside. Someone was on the bottom flight of metal stairs, lying spread-eagled and motionless. A man in jeans and dark jacket. Even from this distance, Ianto could see the pool of blood under his body. "We should leave."

"No." Jack grabbed his arm. "We've got to check this out."

"No we don't. This is not our concern."

"Think, Ianto! We leave this and London will be on our backs for dereliction of duty. There's no one else can deal with, unless you plan on calling in the cops." He affected a sing-song Welsh accent. "Please, Mr Policeman, there's a dead body in our top secret base. Come and deal with it for me 'cos I'm frightened."

"That's not fair! The cog door, no further. Whatever we find, we get out and call in help." Ianto was angry, probably because he was frightened.

Jack had no intention of stopping before discovering what was going on. He felt the now-familiar calm descend on him as his emotions receded. He was preparing for whatever lay in the Hub below. To keep Ianto on side, he said, "Okay. Come on, but quiet as a mouse."

They crept down the stairs.

-ooOoo-

Rhys had lived in Cardiff for two years now. In that time he had explored most of it, in his battered estate car and on foot. At first he had been overwhelmed by the people and the hustle and bustle but gradually, as he had got used to it, he liked it. There was so much to see and he had dragged Gwen to many places he had found – quiet residential squares, a viewpoint over the River Ely – to share his delight in his new home. During his ramblings he had visited Tiger Bay, a close-knit multi-ethnic community near the docks, and found it depressing. The affluence of the sixties had not reached these businesses and homes, they were locked into a cycle of deprivation that didn't look like it would ever end. Only occasionally did anyone emerge from these narrow streets and make something of themselves, Shirley Bassey being the only one Rhys could name. This evening, driving through the dark streets, he thought it was a frightening place and had to consciously stop himself turning round.

"Where now? he asked. Toshiko and Owen were in the back and had been whispering together and occasionally giving him directions.

"I'm not sure." She sat forward, hands on the back of Rhys's seat. "I came in from a different direction last time."

"I can't keep driving round blind."

"No. Umm …" She gnawed her lip, trying to remember. She could visualise the chandler's shop clearly but not the streets around it. "There was a pub on the corner. I remember that."

"There's a pub on every corner!" he protested.

"It had green paint."

"Not a lot of help."

"There were warehouses," put in Owen. He had barely noticed where Jack had taken him, only registering the dirt and general feeling of danger in the air.

"That's right. And it was nearer the docks, Rhys. Try over there."

"Go right at the next crossroads," said Gwen. "It'll take you to that area." This was the first time she had spoken since getting in the car. Sitting in the front passenger seat, she had stared straight ahead nursing her resentment. Her friends had kept secrets from her, and not just the boys who she might expect it from, Toshiko too.

"There was a name, painted on a wall in big letters," mused Owen, trying hard to remember. "Brad-something and something."

"Bradshaw? Bradford?" suggested Toshiko.

"Bradstreet and Wallis. Fruit importers," supplied Gwen again.

"Well done, Gwen!" enthused Toshiko. "Is that down here?"

"You need to take a left soon. Sebastopol Road."

"Thanks, love. You're brilliant, you are." Rhys flashed her a smile but she had turned away to look out of the side window. She was very unhappy and his heart ached to see it.

"There it is! There it is!" shouted Toshiko, clapping Rhys on the shoulder.

"I can see. No need to hit me!" He turned left into a part-cobbled street and they bumped along. On one side a high brick wall loomed ominously while on the other a piece of wasteland, the remnant of wartime bomb damage, stretched to the backs of a row of terraced houses. Rhys pulled up in front of impressive wrought iron gates with the legend 'Bradstreet and Wallis' worked in curly letters. "Here we are."

"This isn't it." Toshiko was scanning the area.

"Might be round the side. Can you get down the side of the warehouse?" asked Owen. He was also sitting forward, sharing Toshiko's eagerness to find the shop.

"Don't know. Let's see." Rhys pulled away, creeping forward slowly to the end of the wall which turned in a right angle. He drove down the side street for several hundred yards.

"This is it!" said Toshiko. "There's the pub. Straight over this junction, the road bends a bit but this is the one."

A few moments later the chandler's shop came into view. "That's Jack's car," said Rhys as he slowed again. "What now?"

"Drop us near there." Toshiko had her hand on the door handle ready to jump out. "You can go home then."

Rhys pulled alongside Jack's Triumph and turned off the engine. "Hang on a minute," he said sternly. He was older than them and used this slim advantage now. "You can't just go off. It's dangerous out there."

"We'll be all right." She had the door open, keen to be out.

"We're coming with you. Come on, Gwen."

"No. You shouldn't. Really," Toshiko protested.

"I'm not going where I'm not wanted," said Gwen.

"You are coming with us, Gwen Cooper, even if I have to carry you." Rhys stared her down. He rarely took this tone with her but he had nothing to lose. He was convinced she was going to turn down his proposal and would want nothing more to do with him. "Out!"

They all left the car, Toshiko and Owen quickly and Gwen reluctantly. She told herself that she was going with them because it was cold and unsafe to stay in the car alone but it wasn't the only reason. She looked at Rhys with new eyes as he locked the car. They followed the others to the shop.

"There's the sign," pointed out Owen. On a wall to their left, some two hundred yards away and over the tops of houses, they could see the painted sign for Bradstreet and Wallis.

"Umm." Toshiko opened the shop door and peered inside. The darkness was complete and ominous. But in there, in the base underground, Mary might have returned. She had to go and see for herself. She stepped over the threshold as the night sky was filled with fireworks to mark the start of the new year.

-ooOoo-

The body on the stairs was one of the Torchwood operatives sent to observe Owen; Jack recognised him immediately. The man had been shot in the gut and bled out. Marks on the floor showed where he had dragged himself this far before dying. And not long ago, the body was not completely cold. Standing up, Jack gestured for Ianto to follow him to the large cog door that led into the Hub. It was standing open, rolled almost completely into the slot in the wall. Idly, he wondered who had designed and built the place; it looked very solid and very old. The two men stopped, backs to the wall, in the cover of the door. Jack peered round it.

The Hub was lit normally. Stacks of boxes and crates, some covered in tarpaulins, blocked the view so he could only see a small part of the vast space. The scraggy artificial Christmas tree, two balloons hanging limply and streamers draped from railings looked pathetic against the bleak walls. There was the sound of a television, a female reporter commentating on New Year celebrations around the UK. A faint metallic aroma wafted out, mingling with the alien smells.

Ianto pulled on Jack's arm. "Let's go and ring London," he whispered, his mouth against Jack's ear.

"And tell them what?" Jack whispered back. He took a step forward, brushing off Ianto's hold.

The Welshman silently cursed. He should have known better than to trust Jack; when there was a mystery around he had to get into the middle of it. He glanced back up the stairs, shuddered at sight of the body, and then back at Jack who had got through the door and was standing just inside. There was nothing for it, Ianto decided, he had to stick with Jack. Carefully, he stepped over the groove in the floor.

All Jack's senses were on the alert. The television appeared to be on the other side of the Hub, in the boardroom perhaps, and overlaid the humming machinery. That metallic smell caught in his nose and he recognised it – blood. His vision was blocked by the stacked boxes – a new feature - and he took two steps to the right around them. The second dead man lay on the metal grid floor. His face was turned to Jack and the neat bullet hole in the forehead stood out against the white skin. Just beyond him was another body. A woman lay on her back staring sightlessly at the ceiling, a large bullet wound in her stomach. Blood had drained through the grid onto the concrete beneath them. Jack recognised them both – Dave and Claire.

Ianto's intake of breath startled Jack who had forgotten about him. He placed a hand on Ianto's arm to keep him back. Their attention was drawn to the flickering images of a television in the corner. It must be past midnight as there was cheering and fireworks. But the screen did not hold Jack's attention. Alex – very much alive - was sitting on an oil drum a few feet from the television watching it.

"Alex?"

The man did not look away from the screen. "Jack. Just in time."

"Alex, what happened? Who did this?" Jack took a pace forward. His kept his gaze on Alex but was aware of Ianto checking the bodies for signs of life.

"Me."

Fear gripped Jack and he ruthlessly suppressed it. "What? Why?"

"We got it wrong, Jack. Thought we could control the stuff we found, what the Rift brought us. So much death."

Ianto was as frightened as he had ever been in his life. He had had brushes with danger before – the minotaur immediately sprang to mind – but never had it involved a madman and dead bodies. Bodies of people he had spoken to and liked. Alex's chilling words, uttered so calmly, horrified him. And yet, after the first shock, he found he could still function. A little way from Claire lay a gun. Had she realised the danger but too late? He slowly reached out and picked it up, all the while expecting Alex to react and shoot him. The bullet never came. Standing up again, Ianto's gaze was caught by a body lying face down on the walkway by the boardroom; Suzie Costello by the long curly hair.

"Jack," he said softly. When he had Jack's attention, he pressed the gun into his hand. Ianto didn't think of keeping it for himself, he knew nothing about them.

Taking the weapon, Jack smiled his thanks. "Check for more people," he said quietly. There would be bodies, not people, but he couldn't say the word. He watched Ianto turn and mount the steps to the work area then glanced at the bodies at his feet before turning his attention back to Alex. He hadn't moved and Jack raised the gun. "What happened to them?" he demanded.

"It's good you're here," said Alex, ignoring the question. He still did not look at Jack. "Needs someone better and you're not corrupted by Torchwood yet. This place, it's yours. Torchwood Three. My gift to you. Give it a purpose before it's too late. Please."

"Alex, listen." Jack lowered the gun. He didn't know what the man was talking about but was no longer frightened for his own life. "It's going to be okay."

"No, it's not. It's really not." He glanced down at something in his hand and Jack strained to see what it was. The pendant, Toshiko's pendant. "This has another use. It showed me what's coming. They were mercy killings. It was the kindest thing I could do."

Jack looked down at the bodies. Alex had killed his colleagues - Dave the doctor and Claire the technician - in a fit of madness caused by that pendant. He knelt beside Claire and attempted to mend her even though he knew it was impossible. He ran a hand through her deep red hair.

Alex was still speaking. "So none of us see the storm. Twenty-first century, Jack, everything's going to change and we're not ready."

Jack opened his mouth to say something, looking up at Alex and saw the gun that had so far been hidden. Alex raised it, a tired smile on his face, and pulled the trigger.

-ooOoo-

In the chandler's shop, Toshiko blundered into another heap of goods. "Ow!"

"All right?" asked Owen coming up beside her.

"Yeah. I don't remember so much stuff lying around before."

The darkness was suddenly pierced by the beam from a powerful torch. "That better?" asked Rhys.

"Why didn't you say you had a torch!" snapped Owen.

"Didn't. Big pile of 'em over here." He took two more and handed one to Toshiko and the other to Owen. Gwen, standing by him, reached out and took her own.

Toshiko swung the light around and found the door to the storeroom. She took a step in that direction then stopped. "Gwen, Rhys … I think it's better you stay here. There might be trouble if you come any further."

"What kind of trouble?" asked Rhys. "Where are you going?"

She tried to find the right words but couldn't think of a way of getting them to stay in the shop without revealing the secret base. "Please, just stay here."

"No. We're going with you, wherever that may be." Rhys put an arm round the silent Gwen and pulled her close. They were a couple - at least for now - and he was speaking for her as she was too upset to do it for herself.

"Let 'em come," said Owen.

"But what about -" began Toshiko.

"You're the boss's daughter, remember? Gotta count for something."

"Oh."

"No time to waste. Come on then, you two, if you're coming." Owen moved past Toshiko and led the way through the storeroom. The second door was open and they went through, turning off the torches in the bright light. They looked down the stairwell and immediately spotted the body.

"What the hell!" said Rhys, his voice echoing off the stone walls.

"Keep your voice down!"

"Is he dead?" asked Gwen. Her professional training kicked in, enabling her to forget her friends' disloyalty.

"I'll go and see. You stay here."

"No way. That's a crime scene." Gwen was down the stairs after him, the others following more slowly. "Don't touch anything," she said when they were beside the body.

Owen ignored her. The normal rules of evidence did not apply to Torchwood, he knew that from bitter experience. Checking for a pulse, he confirmed, "He's dead."

"Is it … his heart?" asked Toshiko. Had Mary returned and gone on another killing spree?

Owen lifted him. "Gunshot."

At that moment, the report of a gun sounded very close.

* * *

><p><em>Is Jack still alive? Where's Ianto? What are the others going to do? All will be revealed next time ...<em>


	19. In Charge

_The friends are all in the Hub and a shot has been fired ..._

* * *

><p><strong>Five Go Mad at Christmas<strong>

Chapter Nineteen: In Charge

When the shot rang out Ianto was on the walkway heading towards the boardroom. He had found two more bodies in the work area, both shot in the head, and was on his way to check on Suzie. When the gun fired he ducked back instinctively then cautiously raised his head and peered between the metal railings. He did not want to look but was compelled by some inner force, dreading that Jack's body would have joined the others lying there.

The shot was loud even beyond the cog door. Toshiko ran into the base, her mind still full of Mary. She couldn't bear it if Mary had been killed before having the chance to see her. Skirting the piled up boxes and crates she slid to a stop. No sign of Mary. Disappointment was quickly replaced by horror when she spotted the dead bodies lying almost at her feet. Toshiko screamed loudly.

Her screams hastened the arrival of Owen, Gwen and Rhys who were making a more cautious entry. Owen went straight to Toshiko, taking her in his arms. She clung to him gratefully, burying her head in his shoulder as her screams turned to sobs. Looking around, he saw Dave and fought the reflex to gag. Just days ago he had treated this man's knife wound, now he was dead. Beyond him was a woman he recognised but couldn't name, also dead, and Jack. A gun hung limply from Jack's hand as he stood looking down at the remains of yet another man, this one with his head blown away.

"Oh my God," whispered Rhys. He had been diverted by the huge base and only just noticed the bodies.

Gwen moved forward cautiously. This was her worst nightmare. There had been a murderous rampage and she was the first officer on the scene. Her priority was to disarm Jack before he hurt anyone else. "Let me have the gun, Jack. Nice and easy."

Jack did not hear her, had not registered the arrival of the four newcomers. He had been sure Alex would not hurt him or Ianto but not considered the man might hurt himself. The high calibre bullet had taken off one side of his head. The left side was a mass of blood, bone and tissue. The eyeball lay detached a foot away. But the right side was untouched.

"Jack, drop the gun," said Gwen. She was closer now, almost within touching distance.

Ianto had noticed the new arrivals but he was too concerned for his lover to consider how they got here. "Jack, you okay?" he called.

His voice penetrated Jack's dazed mind and he looked up, moving his head incredibly slowly. "He shot himself."

"Stay there. I'm on my way." The blood on Jack's face, spatter from the gunshot, alarmed him. He hurried through the boardroom, desperate to be with Jack, to hold him. Passing the prone body of Suzie Costello, he automatically felt for a pulse and was startled to find one. Checking more closely, he felt her breath on his hand. "Owen, get up here! She's alive!"

Thrusting Toshiko towards Rhys, Owen hared across the Hub, past Jack and Gwen and up the stairs. He had a sense of déjà vu. Suzie had fallen in almost the same place as Dave had three days before. "Where's she hurt?" he asked.

"Not sure. Chest wound, I think." Together they turned her over as carefully as they could until she was lying propped in Ianto's arms. The front of her shirt was covered in blood.

"Missed the heart but clipped the lung. See the bubbles?" Owen pointed to the bloody bubbles on her lips. "She was damned lucky." He ripped the shirt in two revealed a blood-soaked lacy bra. "There, see." The bullet hole above her right breast was obvious.

"Jack, Suzie's alive," yelled Ianto. "We need a med kit!"

"Jack, let me have the gun," repeated Gwen. Finding someone alive had diverted her for a moment but she was not going to take chances, not with Rhys and Toshiko only feet behind her. "The gun, Jack."

"I have no time for this!" He snapped out of his immobility, thrusting the pistol into the pocket of his greatcoat and pushing past her. "A woman is dying! There's been too much death here." He ran up the steps to the work area. Ignoring the bodies he went into the medical bay and grabbed the kit from the side. Hastening back he was faced by Gwen again. "Get out of the way!"

"No. Four people have been killed. I am taking control of this crime scene and you are –"

"I don't believe this!"

Toshiko left Rhys's side and came up to Jack. "Let me take that." She reached for the med kit and ran off up the stairs to join Owen and Ianto.

"I warn you that anything you say may be taken down and used in evidence –" Gwen was not going to be deterred from her duty.

"Do you know where you are! Does this look like part of Cardiff!" Jack gestured wildly to encompass the base. "This is Torchwood. Beyond the police, beyond the Government –"

"Torchwood?" said Gwen. "That bloody shower!"

Jack stared at her then started to laugh. He laughed and laughed and laughed and laughed, unable to stop once he got started. All this time they'd been keeping Torchwood secret and Gwen knew about it all the time. He continued to laugh until Rhys stepped up and socked him on the jaw. Jack went down on one knee with a grunt but the laughing stopped.

"What was that for!" he complained. He dabbed at the blood dribbling from the side of his mouth.

"You were hysterical." Rhys felt good. Part of him had always been intimidated by Jack's good looks and charismatic personality. Gwen's attraction to him had not gone unnoticed either. Getting the chance to punch him out was highly satisfying.

Gwen was thinking hard. She had been told, when Torchwood operatives had interfered with a missing person case, that they had carte blanche to go where they wanted and to do what they wanted. They were 'Special Ops' and were not required to follow police procedures. Even the Chief Constable had no sway over them. While no officer liked it, they understood careers would be ruined if they stood in Torchwood's way. That being the case, she would be better off not meddling in their business. And yet … What were Jack and Ianto doing here? How did they know about Torchwood? And, still niggling at her, was Jack responsible for the dead bodies?

"This is Torchwood?" she said slowly, gazing round.

Jack stood up. "Yes."

Her gaze fell on the bodies. "What happened?"

"Alex killed them all and then himself." He looked round as Ianto approached. "How is she?"

"Owen's working on her." Ianto used his own handkerchief to wipe away the blood – flowing and spattered – on Jack's face. "We have to get her to the medical bay."

"Why?" persisted Gwen. "Why did he kill them?"

Walking to Alex's side, Jack recovered the pendant lying in his lifeless hand. "Because of this."

"That's Tosh's pendant," said Ianto, surprised.

"Yeah. Seems it has other uses. I'm guessing Alex's psychic powers unlocked them. Sent him crazy." He put the small thing in his pocket.

"You should call London."

"In a bit. There's more important things right now." Jack was fully recovered from the earlier shock and he realised the weight of responsibility that had fallen on his shoulders. It appeared the entire Torchwood Cardiff team was dead or dying leaving the city unprotected. The Hub was vulnerable too; who knew how many entrances and exits there were and if they were secure. Then there were inmates in the cells; were they contained? He had to get on top of all this. But first things first. "Rhys, go and help Owen to bring Suzie to the medical bay."

Rhys glanced at Gwen and saw she had accepted Jack's explanation. There was much still to be gone into but that could wait. "Okay." He walked off.

"Gwen, you came in through the shop upstairs, right?" She nodded. "Did you lock the door?"

"No."

"Okay. Ianto, nip up and lock it then get back down here. Gwen, come with me."

"Hang on." She put a hand on his arm to stop him. "I don't understand any of this. What are you doing here? What is Torchwood?"

"Later. More important things right now, trust me."

Gwen did trust him and made no demur when he took her hand and led her to the work area. Two bodies lay by the entrance to the medical bay. Gwen gagged when she saw the blood that had spurted up the wall making grotesque patterns on the tiles. It was horrific. It was worse than anything she'd seen so far.

"I think I'm going to be sick."

"Toilets are up those stairs and through that door." Jack pointed. "Be quick."

Gwen hurried away. Jack pulled the bodies by the ankles, clearing access to the medical bay. He knew both men by sight. One had manned the shop upstairs and the other had been part of the team watching Owen.

"Christ, more?" said Owen, appearing at the top of the steps.

"Both dead. Suzie?"

"Still breathing. I need to check what gizmos there are here but she needs a hospital."

He continued into the medical bay as Rhys appeared carrying Suzie in his arms. Toshiko hovered close, holding up an IV drip that Owen must have inserted. Jack stepped aside and watched them take Suzie down the curving steps into the sunken area. Gwen reappeared having taken Jack at his word and been double quick. She stood gazing out over the Hub, trying to make sense of what she was seeing and avoiding looking at the bodies.

Ianto was panting when he came back through the cog door; he had run up and down the stairs. "All secure up top," he reported. "Get your coat off, Jack, I have a feeling we'll be here a while." He smiled briefly and reached to ease the greatcoat from Jack's shoulders, hanging it on the rack with his own. "Gwen?" He held out a hand and took the jacket she had already removed.

"Right, things to do." Jack paced to the office and back again. "How many, Ianto?"

"Just what we've seen unless there's any downstairs. That's six, plus Suzie. I don't think there'll be any more, it's always been a small team."

Jack ran a hand through his hair as he thought furiously. "We need to be sure there's no one unaccounted for. Ianto, check the office for personnel files. Must be some kind of register. Gwen can help."

"Come on, Gwen, let's see what we can find." They went into the office which contained four filing cabinets, all of them unlocked. The team was so sure of the Hub's external security, they didn't bother much with internal locks. Personnel files, however, should be under lock and key and Ianto tried the desk drawers until he found one that wouldn't open.

"Should we be doing this?" Gwen asked.

"We have to, there's no one else." He took a letter opener from the desk and used it to attack the lock.

"But this is Torchwood, that's what Jack said. They're not going to like it."

"Jack and I are Torchwood. We work for the main branch in London."

She stared at him. "You do?"

"Uh-huh." He swore as the letter opener slipped and caught a finger. "I'm in archives, Jack's operations."

Outside the office, Jack continued to pace back and forth. There was so much to think about. He glanced into the medical bay where Owen and Toshiko were bent over Suzie on the examination table. Rhys was arranging a stand for the IV bag. In the office, Ianto and Gwen were delving through the files in quiet conversation. No doubt Gwen was quizzing him on Torchwood. Stopping, Jack stared at the desks and then at the bodies. This wasn't right, he was doing this wrong.

"Ianto, come here, please. Gwen, you carry on there. "

At the opening to the medical bay, he called, "Tosh, I need you."

"I need her too!" retorted Owen. "Can't do this on me own."

"I'll stay," volunteered Rhys.

"Good man. Thanks." Jack waited impatiently for Toshiko to come up the steps.

"What is it?" she asked.

"This base is vulnerable right now. The entrance upstairs is locked but I have no idea how many others there are. I need a security check and I need it fast and you are a genius with electronics." He waved towards the desks covered with screens and keyboards and related paraphernalia. "If anyone can make sense of this, you can."

"I know nothing about it. Their systems, protocols, nothing," she protested.

"Just do your best, Tosh." He pushed her into a chair. "Do it for your dad, these were his people."

Moved by his words, she nodded. "I'll try." She sat down and pulled the keyboard towards her. In seconds she was immersed in her task and already making headway.

"What do you want me for?" asked Ianto.

Jack led him to the side, out of earshot of Toshiko. "I'm not sure talking to London is the right way to go. They'll take over and never let go. I'm going to try and raise Mr Sato first, see what he wants us to do. But we have to deal with the bodies. Can you find something to cover them for now? And bring in the one on the stairs. There's a morgue downstairs, Suzie showed me, though I don't know how to get into it."

"Tosh'll find out."

"Good point. Ianto, I hate to ask, but you have to check the bodies for IDs, pass cards, whatever. Some of the doors have swipe cards; I don't want us to get stuck down here and not be able to get out."

Ianto shivered, he didn't want to be trapped down here with six dead bodies either. "I'll see what I can find." He reached out and stroked Jack's cheek. "You're doing great." The simple gesture grounded them once more and they went off to their tasks.

-ooOoo-

The champagne bottles had been left not far from the Christmas tree, clearly intended for a celebration. They had not been needed; the team was dead before Big Ben chimed in the New Year. Ianto took the bottles into the kitchen and removed some of the more accessible Christmas decorations, seeing them as a cruel joke. Taking a half-bottle of whisky with him, he went to the coffee machine and made six drinks.

A lot had been achieved in two hours. Owen had stabilised Suzie and she had been taken to St David's Hospital where she was in the charge of a Torchwood sympathiser. She had a good chance of pulling through. Gwen had found the personnel files which confirmed the whole Torchwood Three team – with the exception of Suzie and Mr Sato – had been killed. The bodies had been moved to the morgue by Ianto and Rhys. Like most Torchwood personnel, none of the dead had had close family and they would be kept there at least for the time being. All this had only been possible because Toshiko had gained full access to the Torchwood computer. She was the one who located the friendly surgeon, discovered how to access the morgue and ensured the security of the base. After assisting Owen and Ianto, Rhys had piled the stacked boxes and crates out of the way and hosed down the floors and walls helped by Gwen.

"Coffee," said Ianto as he reached the work area. "There's something to spice it up if you want it." He gestured to the whisky.

"Grand." Owen reached for the bottle and poured some into a mug. He was tired yet exhilarated after his battle to save Suzie's life. "Tosh, leave that and come have a drink."

"In a minute."

Toshiko was still at the desk exploring the electronic miracle that was the Torchwood computer. The college mainframe, a huge affair that filled a large room, took hours and hours to program and feed in information often with few sensible results. In contrast, the Torchwood computer reacted like a human brain, allowing easy access and worked as quickly as she did. She was entranced.

"Now, Tosh," said Ianto gently. "You can play some more later." Smiling, he raised her hands from the keyboard and led her to the couch to sit next to Owen.

Gwen and Rhys walked up from the lower level. They were still assimilating what the others had told them about aliens and Torchwood and found it hard to believe. Even learning Mary had been an alien didn't help until Toshiko had shown them some film of her transformation. It was a lot to take in and Rhys and Gwen discussed it as they cleaned up, finally deciding it must be true however improbable.

"I'm shattered," Gwen said.

"Take this chair." Ianto indicated a battered armchair. He glanced at the office where Jack was still on the telephone. He had been there for ages, trying to find Mr Sato and finally talking to him.

"What happens now?" asked Owen.

"Not entirely sure. But you four should go home. It's late – or should that be early!"

Rhys glanced at the wall clock: 2.36. "I've got to be at work in six hours."

"I'm sorry. You should have said, you could have gone before now."

"Doesn't matter. I've managed before." Rhys was happy, his arm round Gwen who was perched on his knee. She was less distant than she had been and his hopes had risen. Perhaps all was not lost.

The office door opened and Jack emerged. His trademark smile was absent. He looked tired and drawn and ten years older. "Coffee. Great," he said.

"Have some of this in it." Ianto poured in whisky before handing over the mug, a blue striped one.

"I'll have another shot of that," said Owen, holding out his mug.

Ianto gave him a pointed look but poured a small tot. "What news?" he asked Jack.

Taking his time, Jack sat on the floor by the coffee table. It felt strange to be talking about Torchwood openly with these friends but after the way they had helped recover the situation he couldn't very well hold back. "Mr Sato wants us to hold the fort until he gets back on Tuesday. Tomorrow, that is. He'll square it with the Director."

"She won't like it."

"I know but I think Mr Sato has enough clout to get his way." He took a long drink of the hot beverage and felt the warmth travel down his throat and into his stomach. "We're to keep a lid on things as best we can, UNIT will take up the slack."

"Good."

"You can't cope on your own," put in Toshiko. Her trawl though the computer had given her an idea of what the organisation did. "Two people can't do seven's work."

Jack managed a smile. "I was hoping you might help us out. Seeing as you've found your way around the system."

"Of course I will."

"You gonna need a doctor? I'll be around, seeing as we're not going to London yet," offered Owen. He preferred to be useful here where everything was new and nothing reminded him of Katie.

"You just want to play with the equipment!" joked Ianto. Like Toshiko, Owen found the advanced technology fascinating.

"It's fab stuff."

"What about me? Do you need my help too?" asked Gwen. She understood why Toshiko and Owen had been let into the secret of Torchwood before her but that didn't take away the hurt of being left out. She wanted to be included now.

Jack looked at her and Rhys. "It would be better if you didn't get any more involved than you have. For your sake. Torchwood is dangerous – as you've seen tonight!"

"But it's okay for Tosh and Owen to get involved? That's not fair, Jack Harkness."

The two glared at one another and Ianto watched with interest. These two had often vied for leadership of the group but Jack had always won. He was older and more forceful while she allowed her attraction to him to undermine her resolve. He saw now that Jack was going to make some concessions but not give in entirely, his usual way of dealing with Gwen.

"They're free agents at the moment, you have a job. An important job. One that could be useful to us. You've said yourself that police and Torchwood business overlaps, consider yourself our liaison. If anything weird comes up, let us know and we can investigate."

"You'd be working with us, Gwen," added Ianto, "just in a different way. Jack and I don't know Cardiff as well as you do, you can be our eyes and ears." _A bit of flattery goes a long way_, he thought.

"Right," agreed Jack. "Carry on with your job while we do the rest."

After some thought, she said, "I don't like it, but I suppose having me in the police would be useful. I'm on lates starting tonight but I could help out during the day if you need me."

"We'll bear that in mind. Thanks. But I'll say to you and Rhys what I've already said to Owen and Tosh." He paused for effect. "Torchwood is secret and dangerous. You mustn't tell anyone what you've seen today or about the base. Ianto and I know we can trust you but our colleagues in London don't. If they hear of anything leaking out, they'll be onto you in a instant. And they play dirty."

"What can they do?" joked Rhys. "Lock us up?"

"Yes." Ianto's calm voice added weight to the single word. "The cells downstairs aren't for show."

"And once in them, you'll never come out," added Jack. "We're not saying this to scare you, well, maybe we are. It's good to be scared. Just say nothing and you'll be okay."

Rhys looked round warily and saw Owen and Toshiko nodding seriously. This wasn't a wind up. "Right. Mum's the word."

"Thank you. And thanks for your help tonight, Rhys. I appreciate it."

"I was saying earlier that they should go home, get some sleep," said Ianto.

"Good idea."

"What about you?" asked Toshiko. "You look exhausted."

"Someone needs to mind the shop."

"We can leave Cardiff to UNIT for the night," said Ianto. "Might be a good idea to be out of contact for a while anyway; the Director's bound to call soon."

Jack groaned. "I don't want to take that call!"

"Then come home," pressed Toshiko.

"She's right," added Gwen. "You're in no state to stay here."

There was no denying he would like to go home but Jack was still reluctant. He glanced at Ianto and noticed the worry lines on his forehead and the dark circles forming under his eyes. If Jack stayed Ianto would insist on staying too. For his sake, they should get some sleep. "All right. Tosh, can you lock the Hub down?"

"Yep." She jumped up. "I can fix the biometric access codes too." She had already removed the dead team members from the database. Adding Jack and Ianto would be a doddle.

"I'll call UNIT," said Ianto, moving to the office. Fifteen minutes later they were ready to leave.

"Before you go," said Gwen, "there's something I want to say. Rhys and I are getting married."

"We are?" exclaimed Rhys.

"Unless you don't want me." She smiled at him knowing it wasn't true.

"'Cos I want you. Wouldn't have asked otherwise." He kissed her passionately.

* * *

><p><em>Phew, they all survived. And Gwen knew about Torchwood all the time. How will they cope on their own in charge of the base and the city? Find out in the next chapter. <em>


	20. Day One

_Jack and Ianto are in charge of Torchwood Cardiff, how will they fare?_

* * *

><p><strong>Five Go Mad at Christmas<strong>

Chapter Twenty: Day One

The first day of 1969 found the friends together at Sully. Gwen had decided to stay with them rather than disturb her parents and wherever she went Rhys went too. He was ecstatic that she had accepted his proposal and was still floating on air when he let himself out of the house at eight in the morning. He remembered little about the drive to work.

Not long after Gwen went downstairs. The house was quiet and she thought the others were still in bed so was surprised to find Jack in the kitchen. "Couldn't sleep?"

"No. Too much on my mind." He was sitting at the table with a bowl of cereal and a mug of tea. Sleep had not come easily even though he was dog-tired. Whenever he had closed his eyes, images of the Hub had haunted his dreams. Awake, all he could think of was the responsibility he had taken on. His mood had improved a little when the hospital had reported Suzie to be stable and on the way to recovery. "Tea's not long been made."

She poured some into a mug and stood holding it in both hands, leaning against the sink. "Hard to believe all that happened last night."

"Happy New Year." He raised his mug in ironic salute. "Did you really think I'd killed them?"

"It looked that way. What was I supposed to think?" She shrugged.

"Umm. So what made you accept Rhys?" He sipped the refreshing tea.

"I think it was the way he thumped you."

"Huh! He took me by surprise, he'd not be so lucky in a fair fight. And look at this." He pointed to the bruise on his jaw. "Spoils the perfection, don't you think?"

She laughed. "You'll live. Oh, that came out wrong. Sorry."

"'S okay. Come on, what really made you say 'yes'?"

"He didn't take any of my crap. Stood up to me and yet still looked out for me when I was hurting."

"Hurting?"

"It's not nice to be the one left out all the time. When Tosh said you'd all be keeping secrets, well …."

"Only necessary ones. The rule about talking applies to Ianto and me just as much as to you. More probably."

"It's that dangerous?"

"Yep. Drum it into Rhys."

She laughed again. "He won't say anything, probably forgotten all about it! All he can think about is weddings!"

"When is it to be?" Jack felt better for talking about anything other than Torchwood.

"This year some time, I think. No point dragging it out."

"You could sound more enthusiastic." He got up and put the empty bowl on the draining board. "Are you happy about it?"

"Umm. I love him and I want to be with him. Gonna try and stick to just him too. Won't be easy but he deserves my best shot."

"I'm glad for you both. We'll have to celebrate. Have a party."

"What is about you and parties! We might, I suppose. Expect Mam would like one."

He took her left hand. "No ring, I see." He felt her shiver at his touch and smiled inwardly; he could still set her heart a-flutter.

"We're going to choose it at lunchtime. And tell Mam and Dad tonight before I go on duty." She pulled a face. "Have to call his parents then too. Suppose we'll have to go and see them." Reluctantly, she pulled her hand free.

"I can see you're going to love it, Gwen Williams."

"Cooper. Not going to change my name, not for work anyway."

"Such a liberated lass, I'm surprised you're getting married at all."

"Me too!"

-ooOoo-

Emptying the half-packed suitcases took very little time. Ianto put the clothes back in the drawers. There were enough clean things for another day only. He had to do more washing or find a laundrette. There would be a bed to change too; Mr Sato would need clean sheets. As he worked, Ianto wondered how long they would be staying in Cardiff. Any more than a couple of days and they'd need to get more clothes from home, and check on the flat. Mr Sato was not going to be able to cope alone and it would take time to recruit a new team. Would he ask them to stay? Ianto stared at the wall, considering the possibility. It would be challenging, no doubt about it, but was there enough work for a full-time archivist? And there was the danger too. London had major incursions from time to time but the Rift brought aliens to Cardiff on a regular basis, every day it seemed. He did not want Jack in constant danger, especially in a under-strength team. On the personal front, they would both miss London. They had a good life and there was always so much going on; Cardiff couldn't compete. The only advantage of moving back here was that he would be near his mam.

_What am I thinking?_ he thought, with a chuckle. _Mr Sato is just as likely to thank us and send us on our way_. The only certainty was that they had to get through the next two days alone, that was challenge enough. After a final look round to check everything was tidy he left the room, smiling when he heard Gwen singing in the bath. She was happy and deserved to be, it's not every day one becomes engaged. Downstairs he joined Jack, Toshiko and Owen in the kitchen. Toshiko was getting eggs and bacon from the fridge ready for her and Owen's breakfast.

"We'll get off now, then," said Jack. "You've got the number to contact us?"

"Right here," said Owen. He tapped a notebook.

"We'll come as soon as Gwen's ready to leave. I'll drop her off on the way. Okay to park in that underground place?" asked Toshiko. She had found the secure car park when checking the Hub plans.

"Yep. We'll let you in. Thanks, both of you, for giving up your day."

"There's not much else to do around here. Besides, I'd rather be busy."

"We appreciate it," added Ianto.

Half an hour later, Jack pulled up to the iron gate that led into the Hub car park. "Here goes nothing," he said. Pressing his right thumb to the scanner he was delighted when the gate opened. "Good old Tosh."

"She's really excited to be able to work on the computer again. Oh, lights come on automatically."

"Let's see where this leads."

Jack steered the car down a curving ramp. The car park had a dozen marked bays on each side of a wide aisle. Eight bays were full. Five cars were parked in a row near the red doors leading into the Hub. Four belonged to the now-deceased team members and the other to Suzie who, if she continued doing well, would be back to claim it in due course. A black van was in another bay alongside a Land Rover and a mini-bus.

"We'll have a choice of rides if there's an incident," said Ianto. He was pleased his voice did not betray his nervousness. He was not trained for operations and Jack was inexperienced. The row of ownerless cars was a visible reminder of the dangers.

"If we can find the keys!" Jack pulled into a space beside the black van. "Ready for this?" he asked as the engine died.

"As I'll ever be. Suppose you'd better turn your pager back on. Bound to be loads of messages for you."

"Think I'll wait until we're inside."

They held hands as they walked to the red doors. Ianto tried his thumb on the scanner and the doors opened; they were in. The vast Hub was quiet, with just the gentle hum of machinery. Still hand in hand, they walked slowly to stand by the steps to the work area, looking around. They were responsible for this place for the next forty eight hours, and for dealing with alien activity in the city. UNIT personnel were available to them but their uniforms made them too obvious for the smaller, more delicate operations.

Jack took a deep breath. They were not up to this. They should turn around and walk away, lock the doors and head back to London as fast as they could go. What did they know of Cardiff's aliens? How were they supposed to police the Rift when they didn't even know their way round this base? Equipment lay about in crates and boxes but neither he nor Ianto had any idea what was where. The armoury was full of weapons they'd never seen before let alone fired. There were levels below this one, that he had glimpsed once on a fleeting walk-through, in which hordes of aliens could be hiding for all they knew. He turned to Ianto, mouth open ready to suggest they leave.

Ianto felt Jack's unease through their clasped hands and guessed what he was thinking. It was a daunting task before them but he was not going to allow Jack to run away. They had given their word and would do their best. They would manage. It was his job to give Jack the support and encouragement no one else would even know he needed. "Coffee?" he asked brightly.

"Please." Jack smiled, aware of what Ianto was doing and very grateful.

Their fingers disentangled and Ianto went off to the kitchen. Jack watched him then headed up to the office. He couldn't put off talking to London any longer. The office was as he had left it. Hanging up his greatcoat, he circled the desk and sat down. This was it, the hot seat. Loose papers and files lay on the desk, some in piles, others strewn higgledy-piggledy. The telephone loomed large but Jack ignored it. He put stray pens into the ornate brass desk tidy-come-inkwell and put all the papers in one pile and the files in another. Those could wait. He checked the pager and as expected found half a dozen messages to ring Director Hartman's office, the first early this morning and the last an hour ago. Messiter's number was also there; the Director must have got him out of bed too. Finally there was a single message two hours old to call a long international number. He recognised it as Mr Sato's and decided to check in with him first.

The coffee machine was as dirty as ever and Ianto added cleaning it to his mental list of tasks. The list was an eclectic mix of the scary and the mundane. It included: checking on the resident aliens in the cells; going through the dead team members' belongings; getting to grips with the archives; clearing out the fridge; taking down the remaining Christmas decorations; and keeping tabs on Jack. The last was his priority; he did not want Jack going off alone answering Rift alerts. When the coffee was ready, he took it to the office. Jack was on the telephone so he put the mugs down and took off his coat. The Hub was warm enough and that was another task for his list, find out where the heat came from. He sat down.

"Ianto's just joined me, sir. I'll put you on speaker."

"_Good morning, Ianto. Thank you for your help."_ Mr Sato's voice was tinny and a little distorted but unmistakable.

"I'm sorry about your team, sir."

"_Yes."_ The sadness was clear even over thousands of miles. _"I was telling Jack that I have made enquiries but am unable to return to the UK any sooner. I shall not be in Cardiff before eight tomorrow evening." _

"We'll manage, sir," said Jack, projecting a confidence he did not feel. "What did the Director say?"

"_She has not contacted you?"_

"I've ducked her calls."

"_You are wise beyond your years. She … was not happy. However, I invoked the powers given to the head of operations in Cardiff in the Torchwood Charter. As both I and Ms Costello survive, the team continues to exist and London cannot, legally, intervene. You have been co-opted to Cardiff for the time being." _

"So she can't order us about?" asked Ianto.

"_I am sure she will try. However, according to Torchwood protocols, you are now under my direction not hers. This may cause difficulties for you, now and in the future, and I would understand if you would rather not continue. I would not wish to affect adversely your careers."_

Jack glanced at Ianto as he said, "I said I'd stay and I'm going to."

"That goes for me too, sir," added Ianto.

"_Thank you. Be prepared for London operatives to be watching the Hub. They know where it is and they know you but they cannot get in. The best entrance for you to use is through the car park. This is accessed –"_

"We've found it already, sir," interrupted Jack. "Tosh found it and organised access for us. We are going to need swipe cards though. Is it okay to create them? We'll hand them back soon as you get here."

There was a slight pause and Ianto wondered if the connection had been lost but then Mr Sato spoke again. _"I was about to tell you how to use the computer but it appears my daughter has beaten me to it. Is she continuing to help you?" _

"She's not here at the moment but is coming later. Is that okay? Owen Harper will be here too. He saved Suzie's life."

"_I am grateful to him. Yes, of course, they may both help you. But,"_ he hesitated, _"please keep Toshiko safe. I never wanted her to know anything about Torchwood." _

"We'll take good care of her, don't worry," promised Ianto. "By the way, the latest from the hospital is that Suzie is doing well."

"_I am glad. As for the swipe cards, of course you may create some. You have my authority to take any action you deem necessary. But, please, be very careful. Do not touch the Rift manipulator or put yourselves in danger. I have lost too many colleagues already."_ Mr Sato always spoke solemnly but the sadness and regret was evident again in his last words.

"We'll be careful," assured Jack. A few minutes later, the call ended and Jack downed the last of his coffee. "Thanks for that. Fancy a walkabout? We could check on the lower levels."

"You're not putting off calling London any longer. The sooner you do it, the sooner it'll be over." Ianto stood and gathered up the mugs. "And we're not exploring before Toshiko and Owen arrive. We could be lost forever down there." He left the office.

Jack watched him until he was out of sight. Ianto looked good in his suit but Jack wondered if was suitable for the cavernous Hub. He himself was wearing a pair of old trousers held up with belt and braces over a dark blue shirt, much more in keeping with his surroundings. With a heavy sigh, be picked up the telephone and dialled Director Hartman's number.

-ooOoo-

The tin of shortbread was on top of the fridge. It looked like someone had brought it in as a Christmas treat but not got round to opening it. Owen took it and the two mugs of tea he had made back to the work area. "Anything?" he asked.

"Not yet." Toshiko was at the right hand desk holding the computer monitors, her chosen place. "Thanks." She took one of the mugs.

"They must be there by now." Owen put the tray on the neighbouring desk and, taking his tea and the tin, scooted the chair over beside Toshiko.

The Rift alarm had gone off twenty five minutes earlier. In a flurry of anxiety and confusion, Toshiko and Jack had taken ten minutes to pinpoint a location. Five more minutes had been wasted in a furious argument between Jack and Ianto about who should respond. Ianto won the right to go along by the simple expedient of taking the van keys and sitting in the vehicle until Jack joined him.

"Just about, I suppose." The opening was in Splott on the other side of the docks.

"What do you think it is? A visiting alien?"

Owen was disappointed not to be out there with his friends but accepted that no one should be left alone in the Hub. The place was scary. Ianto had taken him down to level two. The cells contained two occupants, a female Weevil who was reasonably docile and a fat, blue blob that floated. They had fed the Weevil and left the blob to its own devices. On the journey back, they had peered into some of the storerooms which contained racks of odd-looking equipment but the dank, dim corridor and the occasional low grunts from the Weevil had hastened their return to the comparatively welcoming upper levels.

"I hope not. I wish they'd taken a camera with them."

"Thought you gave them one." He sipped the tea.

"That was a scanner, to home in on the opening." She took a piece of shortbread from the tin. "Do you think I should try the walkie-talkie?"

"Give them another couple of minutes. Tell me what this computer of yours can do."

"Everything!" she said with a smile. "It's fantastic, Owen. I can access all the records, control the Hub security, run tests and watch the streets above though the camera network. All from this desk."

"Those London blokes still out there?"

When Toshiko had demonstrated the cameras to Jack, he had spotted the operatives, who he knew slightly, sitting in a car near the chandler's shop. They had not moved for hours and were attracting the attention of the locals. Some of the passing dockers had looked hard at them and housewives out shopping had stopped to stare. Children out playing had been bolder and gone right up to the vehicle and made faces at the occupants.

"Uh-huh." She put the picture onto a larger screen. "They must be bored."

Owen sniggered. "Pissed off, more like! I'm surprised they don't know about the other entrance." The car park gate was four streets away.

"There's no love lost between Cardiff and London. The records prove that."

"_Tosh, can you hear me?" _

She grabbed the walkie-talkie and fumbled with the buttons. "Loud and clear, Ianto. What's happening?"

"_We've arrived. Jack's using that scanner thing to poke around. Nothing obvious yet." _

"Be careful."

"_We will. Oh, he's got something."_ The connection went dead for several moments. _"It's some kind of artefact. We'll bring it straight back." _

"See you soon." She put down the walkie-talkie with a sigh of relief. "That's good."

"First alert dealt with successfully. I'll drink to that." He clinked his mug against hers.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"Right now, I like anything that takes me mind off Katie. I don't want to forget her but it's so …"

"Painful. Yeah, I know. I'm glad of the change too." Her eyes were drawn to the skeletal metal column where Mary had last stood.

"You've got memories here though, right?" He held out the tin. "Have another shortbread."

She smiled. "That your solution to a broken heart? Food?"

"Or booze. Want me to root around and see if I can find that whisky?"

She shook her head. "I don't mind being here," she said thoughtfully. "At least when I last saw Mary she was whole and alive."

"I wish now I'd stayed out of that bloody operating theatre. It's hard to forget seeing Katie lying there." They sat in silence with their memories, drinking and eating.

Jack and Ianto returned fifteen minutes later and they all got involved in examining the artefact, a rectangular piece of metal about two feet long and one and half wide. There was a flowing script on one side of a type none of them had seen before. Using a standard decryption program, Jack started on the laborious translation. Toshiko was fascinated but Ianto and Owen got bored and went to get burgers and chips for a late lunch leaving the others to carry on.

"Look, it's coming!" exclaimed Toshiko. The message on the screen was slowly being transformed into English. "Oh."

"Sorry, Tosh, it's not all important stuff." The message read _'Honile Rava sends greetings to his mother. Send socks urgently'_. "But we can tell a lot from this. This bloke is on a cold planet and needs socks to keep his, oh, seventeen feet warm," Jack said with a smile.

"Seventeen, huh? Surprised he doesn't need hats for his three heads."

"That was in a different note. Off to the little boy's room. You be okay?"

"Of course."

When he returned a few minutes later, she was standing by the metal column. The framework enclosed a number of inter-connected brass fittings placed one on top of the other that together were around four feet high. In the centre was a constant amber light while at both ends were blue lights that went on and off randomly. The mechanism in between was hidden behind solid covers. Heavy power cables and other thinner wires linked it all together and ran off under the floor.

"I hope you're not touching that."

"It's such a weird contraption, Heath Robinson almost. How can it manipulate something as powerful as the Rift?"

"I have no idea and you, young lady, are not going to take it apart to find out." He took her arm and steered her back to the work area. "Your dad will never forgive us if we destroy Cardiff."

"I wonder … If the Rift can be manipulated, it should be possible to predict when it's going to open."

"There's no holding that clever brain of yours, is there? Come into the office for a minute, something I want to ask you." He went to the desk and reached into a drawer. "I wondered what to do with this." He placed the pendant on the desk.

"Why are you asking me?" She reached out and gently ran a finger over the jagged crystal.

"You've used it, you know what it can do. Is it worth keeping?"

She sat in the armchair he had dragged in from outside, gaze fixed on the small object. "Listening to people's innermost thoughts, the ones even they don't know they're thinking, is too much for anyone. Even Mary thought that, that's why she gave it to me. And you said there's more to it, something Alex found that sent him mad, made him kill people." She looked up at Jack. "No, it not worth keeping."

"That's what I thought too. Want to do the honours?" He held it out to her.

Taking it, she caressed it one last time then dropped it on the floor and ground it under her heel. It hurt to destroy this physical link to Mary but it was too dangerous to keep. Better no one could be seduced into using it again.

"It was destroyed by Alex before he killed himself. Right?" he said.

"Right."

They ate the burgers and chips in the boardroom feeling very grand sitting high up in the Hub looking out through the glass walls. Their first day had been a success so far. They chatted happily about the extraordinary stuff they had found in this cave of wonders and ignored the more disturbing and plain frightening. All of them had found the lower levels off-putting and went there as little as possible. When Owen asked, Jack told them of some operations he had been involved with in London, keeping the tone light and concentrating on the funny aspects. Their laughter filled the room. As the talk continued Ianto wondered how many people had sat in this room, eaten at the table and discussed work. Hundreds probably, some retired and a lot deceased. It was a sobering thought.

* * *

><p><em>Will their day continue to be successful?<em>


	21. Day Two

_I would have posted this yesterday but was unable to log on. Anyone else have the same problem? Anyway, here we are with another new chapter. Enjoy!_

* * *

><p><strong>Five Go Mad at Christmas<strong>

Chapter Twenty One: Day Two

"Don't go yet."

"I need to check in with UNIT."

"They can wait a few more minutes." Ianto pulled Jack back down under the covers. "I want you."

"Didn't you get enough last night?"

"Nope."

They had got back to Sully shortly before nine o'clock after handing over to UNIT for the night. Jack had been for staying in the Hub but Ianto had prevailed, pointing out there was nowhere to sleep and that Toshiko and Owen (who had left earlier) would be alone. It had been a long and tiring day, full of new experiences and sudden flurries of action. There had been one more Rift alert and a loose Weevil and both had tested the novice team to their limits. Once in bed, Ianto had employed the one sure method to get Jack to relax. The sex had been prolonged and satisfying and both men had slept well afterwards.

"I know what you're doing."

"Yeah?" Ianto ran a finger around Jack's ear, teasing the lobe.

"And I'm grateful, but time's getting on and –"

"And Old Reliable is rising to the challenge." Ianto could feel Jack's stiffening cock against his leg. "You going to deny him?"

With a low growl, Jack kissed Ianto fiercely. "Temptress!" His mouth moved down the slim Welshman's body as Ianto gurgled with delight.

Lying in his bed, Owen heard the creak of bedsprings and muffled voices from the guestroom next door. They were at it again. He pulled the pillow over his ears but couldn't block out the sounds. Reaching to the bedside table, he found Bunmei's mouth organ and began playing a sea shanty as loudly as he could.

-ooOoo-

"See you later."

"You could come in."

"Want to get to the hospital. Suzie's awake."

"Ask her about the heating." Despite an exhaustive search, Ianto and Owen had been unable to find the thermostat in the Hub.

Jack snorted. "Not high on my priorities! Give your mom my love."

Ianto waited until Jack had driven round the corner then walked up the familiar path to his family home. His feet crunched in the frost that covered the paving stones. Going round to the back door he found his mother in the kitchen washing up. "Hello, Mam."

"What are you doing here? Why aren't you in London?" She stared at him, water dripping from her hands onto the floor.

"Last minute change of plans. Staying 'til tomorrow now." He pecked her cheek. "Wanted you to know."

"But you're supposed to be at work."

"Got extra holiday. Some mix-up or other and we've got to take it now." He removed his coat and draped it over a chair. "Shall I dry?"

Reassured, she went back to washing up the breakfast pots. The Civil Service had lots of rules and it would be just like them to insist on holiday owed to be taken immediately. "Up early, aren't you? Rhi's only just left for work. And where's Jack?"

"Taking the car to the garage. He reckons it's making a funny noise and wants Rhys to look at it. He dropped me off so I could see you." The lies came easily which worried him but it was better she didn't know the truth about their jobs. He picked up a plate and began drying it.

They continued to chat about this and that for an hour until Toshiko and Owen arrived. The four of them shared a cup of coffee and a biscuit round the kitchen table. Mrs Jones had heard all about Gwen's engagement; Mrs Cooper had been over the moon and telephoned all her friends and relations the night before. Eventually, at nine forty five, Ianto, Toshiko and Owen managed to get away on pretence of going into the city to meet up with Jack.

-ooOoo-

The hospital room was filled with sunlight. Suzie lay in the only bed, her dark curly hair spread over the pillow like the pre-Raphaelite painting of the Lady of Shallot. Her dark eyes were closed when Jack entered but had opened by the time he reached the bed.

"Hello," she murmured.

"Hi. You're looking good. They treating you all right?" Jack shrugged off his greatcoat and threw it over the foot of the bed.

"Umm. Lots of drugs."

"Lucky you! Got any to spare?"

"Nah, all mine." She managed a smile. "How'd you get in? Not visiting time."

"Used my charm. And my Torchwood credentials."

"How'd I get here, Jack? Dr Edwards said you called him in." She remembered sitting in the boardroom and hearing shots then seeing Claire and Dave bleeding on the floor. Running to investigate, she had been shot from below. She was hazy about who had fired. Lying on the walkway, barely able to breathe and in considerable pain, she had expected to die. It had been a surprise to wake up in hospital.

He sat on the edge of the bed and took her hand. "Alex killed the team, Suzie. All of them except you. Then he killed himself."

She tried to concentrate through the drugs. "They're dead? Everyone?"

"The whole team. I'm sorry. It was the pendant, that damned thing we left with you. I should have destroyed it when I had the chance."

"My call, not yours. But why? I mean, Alex is … He's one of us."

"Something about seeing the future, that it was bad and we weren't ready. He thought he was doing you all a favour. I'm so sorry."

She looked out of the window where clear blue sky and white fluffy clouds were framed by green curtains. A tear rolled down her cheek. Seeing this, he took a tissue from the stand and pressed it into her hand. More tears flowed. Then she frowned and looked up at him. "How do you know this?"

He told her about the telephone call he had received and everything that happened afterwards. "Owen stabilised you and then Tosh located Dr Edwards. I'm so pleased we managed to save you."

"The Hub. Has London got in there? I have to go –" She tried to get up but fell back with a grunt of pain.

"Rest easy," he said, pushing back the hair that had fallen over her face. "We've got it covered. Mr Sato sorted it out for Ianto and me, with Owen and Tosh, to keep an eye on things 'til he gets back this evening. I'm going there right after I leave here."

She stared at him. "The codes, the access …"

"All sorted." He grinned. "Tosh sussed your computer in half an hour. She's started working on a Rift predictor program. And Owen can't wait for someone else to be injured so he can use all your medical stuff. So you see, there's no need for you to worry about anything except getting well."

"I guess not." She paused, wiping at wet eyes. "I can't believe they're all gone."

He waited, stroking her hair – which was soft and springy, a nurse must have washed it – until she composed herself again.

With a weak smile, she said, "Thanks for telling me. I wondered why no one had been in. You're different to the other London lot, Captain Jack Harkness."

"Where'd you hear that old nickname?"

"Word gets round." She closed her eyes as a spasm of pain crossed her pretty features.

"You need rest." He stood up and glanced at the vase of chrysanthemums on the bedside cabinet. "Nice flowers."

"They're from you and Ianto."

"Ah. He's good at that sort of thing. Oh, I was supposed to ask. How do we adjust the heating in the Hub? He reckons it's chilly."

-ooOoo-

Jack looked up when the garage door alarm sounded. He had been in the Hub alone for less than half an hour but was starting to find it oppressive. Hearing Ianto and Owen squabbling over how heavy their respective bags were made him smile. Rising from the desk he went to meet them but thought better of it. He didn't want to appear too eager. Instead he opened a drawer in a filing cabinet and picked out a file a random. He stood flicking through it as if engrossed in the contents.

"Jack?"

"Up here." He waited until Ianto, followed by the others, appeared in the work area then ambled out of the office. "How was your mom?"

"Surprised to see me. Everything all right here?"

"Umm, just going through UNIT's report." He waved the file in his hand.

Ianto raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Blue files contained papers on the maintenance of the Hub not reports. Clearly it was a cover for something else. What had he been up to? Had he been out on another Rift opening? No, Ianto didn't think so. Maybe he was just pleased to have company.

"How was Suzie?" asked Owen. He plonked a carrier bag on the coffee table and took off his jacket.

"Okay. I had to tell her about the team which upset her. Good job she was drugged up to the eyeballs."

"Hope you didn't nick any!"

"I was tempted but she wouldn't let me. What's in the bags?" All three of them had carrier bags.

"Bloody heavy stuff!" complained Owen. "I got all the bottles and jars!"

"Stop complaining." Ianto had also removed his coat and now reached for Owen's bag. "It's supplies. Coffee, milk, biscuits. Stuff like that."

"Gonna use it soon?" hinted Jack.

"We got lunch too. Soup and stuff for sandwiches," added Toshiko. She had quickly taken off coat, hat and scarf and was sitting at 'her' desk checking the system for updates and reports.

"How are you paying for all this?"

"Petty cash. Found it in a cupboard. Don't worry, I've got the receipts. I'll go and make the coffee." Ianto went off to the machine in the far corner. He had cleaned it properly last night and was looking forward to making a decent brew.

"Anything for me to do, Jack?" asked Owen. He had less to keep him occupied than the others. Yesterday, he had examined all the medical equipment and read up on its uses – just in case. It was amazing stuff and he wished Katie had been there to share the wonder of dermal regenerators and scanners that were more accurate than X-rays but looked like small photocopiers. As no one had been injured, however, he couldn't put his new knowledge to use and he had been reduced to helping Ianto.

"Actually there is." Jack went back into the office. "Found this earlier. Seems the team found a dead Weevil on New Year's Eve with no obvious cause of death. It was scheduled for a post-mortem but wasn't done. Feel like having a go?" He handed over a slim buff file.

"Cut one up? You bet I'll have a go!" Owen scanned the file eagerly. "You just want to know what killed it, right?"

"Right. Tosh or Ianto should be able to give you more info about them, before you get up to your elbows in guts." He grinned at Owen's evident delight; nice to see someone happy in their work. The post-mortem wasn't urgent or even important – Torchwood already knew a lot about Weevils – but it would keep Owen busy.

"Tosh, what you got on Weevil anatomy?" called Owen, walking out of the office.

-ooOoo-

The hours passed swiftly for Toshiko. From her desk, she kept an eye on the Hub internally and externally. At Jack's request, she maintained a constant watch on the four friends using heat signatures. It was simple and easy and she liked seeing the rosy red dots on the Hub plan. Ianto moved around the various levels as if he had worked there for years not just over a day. He appeared to know where everything was and efficiently ensured the Hub functioned flawlessly. Owen's dot was static in the medical bay from whence came mumbling and occasional exclamations of surprise or satisfaction. Jack moved around more, exploring the lower levels and particularly the firing range where he evidently tried some weapons: the heat signatures went off the scale.

Externally was less interesting. The entrances and exits were secure and well camouflaged. The chandler's shop had been kept closed but Toshiko was interested to see people trying the door. They were genuine customers and, after a short search, she found the accounts which showed the shop made a healthy profit. She wondered when it would be open again. The London operatives watching them tried the door once too, taking a good look at the locks and up at the hidden camera. This was the same pair as had been watching yesterday, back on duty after colleagues had taken the night shift. The local kids had made it impossible for them to park on the road, so they took it in turns to lurk in alleys while the other drove round the block.

"Time's getting on, Tosh," said Jack. He had been in with Owen and sauntered over to join her.

"Gosh, I'll have to run." She jumped up and grabbed her belongings. "Sure this is okay?"

"'Cos it is. I know how you women like to gossip."

"We do not gossip! And you want me to ask them here later?" She had her coat on and was wrapping the scarf round her neck. It may be sunny outside but it was still cold.

"Yep. We ought to congratulate them properly and they'll understand if there's an emergency. Now, go!"

"Won't be long," she called as she hastened down the steps to the big red doors.

Fifteen minutes later she was walking quickly through the city streets. Housewives were out shopping, hoping to pick up a late bargain from the continuing sales, and teenagers roamed around aimlessly from record store to café and back again filling up time. Warm air wafted out of the milk bar carrying the delicious aroma of roasting coffee beans. She went inside eagerly.

"Gwen, sorry I'm late." She dumped her bag on the chair and took off her coat; it was far too warm to keep it on. "Been here long?"

"No. Sort yourself out while I get you a drink. Coffee?"

"No thanks. Had rather a lot today. I'll have a Coke."

Returning, Gwen placed the drink in front of her friend. "Got some cakes too." The plate was placed on the table and Gwen sat down. "You look all … buzzy." Toshiko's eyes were bright and she was full of energy, a great contrast to how she had looked before Christmas.

"I'm really enjoying helping out. Which is ironic given what I think of Dad and … well, what happened there." She took a sip of the Coca-Cola.

"Are you okay about that? I mean, with Mary and everything?" They had spoken a bit about aliens and Torchwood and Gwen was concerned. Toshiko had been affected so personally by it all, much more so than the rest of them. Except Owen, she admitted to herself. Hearing that Katie had been killed by an alien had shocked Gwen but also helped her believe all she had been told.

"I'm fine. Being there is helping."

"Wish I could help too. All very well for Jack to say I'm needed in the police but there hasn't been much proof so far."

"Think yourself lucky! It's scary, believe me. This mine?" Her hand hovered over a doughnut.

"Yeah." Gwen sipped her coffee and was reminded yet again that she was set apart from the others. If she hadn't been working maybe she would have been able to join them in the Hub, to share in the wonders that clearly enthused Toshiko. Instead she was stuck in the routine of policing a small city.

"Want to come in later? We're going to be there until Dad arrives around eight and Jack thought you and Rhys might like a look round before then. Be the last chance."

"What time? I'm on duty at eight." _Good old Jack_, she thought, _he doesn't forget me. _

"Six?"

"Great. Gives Rhys time to get home and changed and I'll have an early tea."

"Good, there's so much to show you." Toshiko took another bite of doughnut and chewed. Watching Gwen she caught the flash of light from her left hand and swallowed quickly. "Your ring! Let me see!"

Somewhat self-consciously, Gwen held out her hand. The white gold ring was mounted with a small diamond solitaire which sparkled in the overhead light. She was not used to wearing the ring and it felt heavy on her hand, weighing it down awkwardly. Despite this, she was inordinately proud of it.

"It's lovely," said Toshiko. She felt a pang of regret that she would probably never have a ring like this, never get engaged or married. A couple of years ago she had expected to spend the rest of her life with Owen, a few days ago she had considered a future with Mary but both had turned into pipe dreams. However, she was determined not to cast a shadow over Gwen's happiness. "It suits your hand."

"Feels really weird," confided Gwen.

"I know your mum's happy. We went to see Mrs Jones this morning and she had a call last night. What about Rhys's parents?"

"Oh, them! Bit cool, to be honest. They said the right things but I know they don't like me. Think I'm some townie who took their son away from them."

"Rhys needed shaking up. You're the best thing that's happened to him."

"So he says. I hope it's true. I'm committed now anyway."

Toshiko let this go. No point reminding Gwen of her fling with Phil Surtees. "What are your plans? Fixed a date yet?"

"Hold your horses, Tosh! One thing at a time. Mam is planning an engagement party, probably for next Saturday. You still be here then? I really want you to be there, and the boys."

"Even Owen?"

"Yeah, even Owen!"

-ooOoo-

"So this is where you're hiding."

"Working, not hiding. Another alarm?" Ianto looked up but relaxed when Jack shook his head. They had responded to one an hour ago and found an O'tiski grenade in a school playground. Luckily the kids were on holiday and it had not endangered anyone but they had had a few anxious moments moving it to a containment box.

"I missed you." Jack came into the records room and leant across the desk. "Give us a kiss."

"I'm busy." He ducked back out of reach and stood, taking a small collection of cards to the bank of drawers for filing.

"Had an idea," persisted Jack, following without haste. "Wouldn't this be a great place to play games? Our special games." He stood behind Ianto, holding him by the hips.

"No."

"Hide and seek. That'd be cool."

"It'd be freezing! I'm not running naked round this place."

Jack chuckled. "Did I mention being naked?" He pressed up against Ianto.

"All your games involve me being naked." He twisted in Jack's arms until they faced one another. "Done the report on the grenade yet?"

"No." He kissed Ianto, tongue penetrating gently. "That's better."

"Tosh will be watching this." She had got back from seeing Gwen not long ago.

"Bully for her." They kissed once more.

"And Owen."

"Not him. He's too busy staring at the Weevil." He shuddered theatrically. "Creepy." After completing the post-mortem, a rather messy business, Owen had decided to learn more about the creatures by observing the one in the cells, the one Jack had christened Janet.

"He'll miss it."

"Seeing us canoodle? I don't think so!"

"Torchwood. Suppose we'll be back in London tomorrow."

"Maybe. Mr Sato might ask us to stay on, help out a bit longer. We've done okay so far, don't you think?"

"I think we've done brilliantly, especially you. What would you say if he asked?" Ianto watched Jack carefully. For once he did not know how Jack would respond. There were more opportunities for advancement in London and less pressure on their private life. On the other hand, being part of a small team in Cardiff was exciting.

"That's easy." Jack straightened up. "I'd tell him I'd have to talk it over it with you."

"He may just want you. Not enough work for a full-time archivist here."

"Then it'd be no deal. It's both or neither, we come as a team." Jack smiled brightly. "And you're more than an archivist. There's loads for you to do here."

"So you'd like to stay?" Ianto waited, finding the answer mattered more than he had expected.

"Only if you wanted it too."

"It's a lot to think about."

"And no point starting now. He may not want us!"

-ooOoo-

Rhys and Gwen were given a guided tour of the Hub by Ianto, or at least a tour of those parts he knew himself and which he thought suitable. Gwen was fascinated by Janet, sitting staring into its eyes for several minutes. She had seen their ferocity first hand – one had torn apart Mark Lynch in front of her eyes – and expected to be revolted but instead found a soul hidden behind the eyes. Not as taken with the creature as his fiancée, Rhys marvelled at the base itself. Back up in the work area he sat with Toshiko and discussed the blueprints she had found, amazed to discover that the work area had once been a railway station. On the couch, Gwen sat with Owen discussing Weevils, the first sign of a thaw in their relationship.

"Ladies and gentlemen," said Jack. He beamed at them all. "Time for a little celebration. Ta-da."

Ianto came up the steps with glasses and a bottle of champagne, one of those left over from New Year. "It's only fitting we toast your engagement here. It is where Gwen said yes."

"Happiest moment of my life," said Rhys. He went to Gwen and gave her a sloppy kiss.

"Whoa, get a room, you two!" protested Owen. Memories of his own engagement, celebrated with friends on a drunken night in the pub, were ruthlessly suppressed. He wanted to be happy for Gwen and Rhys and that meant ignoring his own pain.

"No, could be fun to watch," added Jack with a leer.

"Shut it, both of you!" said Gwen. She made room for Rhys to sit beside her. "Get that bottle open."

Ianto eased the cork from the bottle with a satisfying pop and a dribble of bubbles. "Hold out the glasses."

When they all had a full glass, Jack said, "Congratulations, Gwen and Rhys. We were there when you met, have shared in your romance and now we're here to wish you both happiness and success in your future lives together. Gwen and Rhys!"

"Gwen and Rhys!" joined in Ianto, Owen and Toshiko.

"Speech, speech," called Jack.

"Thank you, all of you," said Rhys, taking the initiative for once. "I love this woman more than I can say and I promise I'll do everything I can to make her happy."

"Ahh, that's so nice." Toshiko sniffed, tears filling her eyes.

"Yeah, nice one," agreed Owen. He drained his glass. "Fill her up, Ianto. This is good stuff."

"Yeah, charge your glasses because I have another toast," said Jack. "Ianto and I couldn't have got through the last few days without you all. Especially you, Tosh and Owen, who, God knows, had worries enough of your own already. Thank you, all of you."

"I second that," said Ianto, raising his own glass. "You've all been great. I'm sorry you had to learn about Torchwood in such a dramatic fashion, sorry you had to learn about it at all really. No one should have the constant worry of aliens on top of everything else. But I am pleased that I no longer have to lie about my job, at least to you. To the best friends a guy could have, Gwen, Toshiko, Owen and Rhys!" They drank.

"My turn," said Owen. "Seen a whole new side to you two and, though I hate to say it, you're bloody good at this stuff. To Captain Jack and Ianto."

"Jack and Ianto!" they chorused.

* * *

><p><em>While that seems like a good place to end, there are in fact two more chapters. Mr Sato arrives in the next one. How will he react to the friends and what they have done? <em>


	22. The End?

_The penultimate chapter and Mr Sato is about to arrive in the Hub ..._

* * *

><p><strong>Five Go Mad at Christmas<strong>

Chapter Twenty Two: The End?

Mr Sato's arrival in the Hub caused a stir. Toshiko cried out in alarm, Jack charged out of the office gun in hand, Owen hesitated then ran after him and Ianto peered anxiously out of the kitchen before running to join them. The large stone that had lain inert for the past two days was rising on an hydraulic lift. It went up into the shadows at the top of the Hub and clunked against something. Moments later the process was reversed and the lift came back down. Standing on the top was the neat figure of Mr Sato.

Jack lowered his gun, a Webley he had found in the armoury, and grinned. "Quite an entrance, sir!" he called up.

"Blimey, he's got his own secret way in," marvelled Owen.

"Good evening, gentlemen. Did I startle you?" The stone clunked into place again and Mr Sato stepped off. He had a small case with him.

"Absolutely. Where does it come out?" Jack was inspecting the stone. "And how does it work?"

Mr Sato did not answer, he was walking up the sloping steps to the work area. "Toshiko, my dear. How are you?"

"No," said Ianto. He grabbed Owen's arm when he would have followed. "Give them a moment. Jack, get up."

On his knees, Jack looked up with a grin. "Two days and we've not scratched the surface. This place has so many secrets."

"That we probably won't find out." He glanced up at the work area where Toshiko and her father were talking. "We'd better make ourselves scarce for a bit." He urged Owen and Jack to a far corner.

Out of the corner of her eye, Toshiko registered movement as the boys crossed the Hub. Her attention, however was focussed on her father. Their relationship had always been loving but for the most part emotions were hidden behind a formal exterior, especially when in public. It was therefore a shock to have him ask for her forgiveness and to see tears in his eyes.

"It was never my intention to put you at risk, Toshiko. That is why I did not tell you about Torchwood or my role within it. I hope you can forgive me." He stood with bowed head.

"Oh, Dad!" She took a pace forward into his arms. Head resting on his chest, she said, "Of course I forgive you. I was upset and angry after Mary but now I understand. This place, what you do, it's marvellous."

"When I heard of your ordeal I … " He shuddered and held her tighter. "If I had lost you –"

"I'm all right, Dad. Really. Though … I wish you'd told me about this place and what you do."

He paused before saying, "It is not something that can be shared, Toshiko. As I hope Jack and Ianto have made clear."

"Oh, they have. Repeatedly." She pulled away slightly though stayed within his arms. "But learning this … this side of you, it makes me wonder what else you might be hiding. If I really know you."

He gently kissed her forehead. "I am your father. The same man as before."

She looked into his face. Was he the same? He looked it, of course, but he had hidden a huge part of his life from her for years. She accepted that it had been necessary, to protect the wider population, but he could have trusted her. "Would you ever have told me?" she asked.

"Not unless I had to. I did not wish to put you in danger."

"But you're in danger every day!"

"No." He shook his head. "I co-ordinate and plan. Fill in paperwork. Others are … were responsible for operations." He looked away, reminded that none of his team – except Suzie Costello – would ever work in this place again.

"Good." She smiled. "I have forgiven you, Dad, truly. Being here, I can understand how important the work is." Working in the Hub had helped her put the betrayal of Mary and the secrecy of her father into perspective. Understanding the dangers facing Cardiff from the Rift and helping to protect the city explained what they had done.

"You cannot have found it easy to be here. Especially with Dr Harper."

"We've made our peace, Dad. He's going through a bad time too and we're friends again. There can't be anything more between us, not now. We're different people than we were."

"So you do not mind having him here?"

"Not any more. He saved Suzie Costello's life, you know. He's an excellent doctor."

"So I understand." He took a step back, relieved to have made the first step to establishing good relations with her again. It would take time and patience to fully regain her trust but he felt confident that, eventually, he would win it once more. "We will talk again, Toshiko, but now it is time you went home. You look tired."

"But –" she began, wanting to argue, but years of obedience stayed her tongue. "If that's what you want."

Mr Sato walked to the railing and gestured for the boys to approach. Jack bounced along, confident in all he had done to keep Torchwood Three functioning and expecting praise. Less willing was Owen, acutely aware that this was Toshiko's father, the girl whose heart he had broken. Ianto was thoughtful. He noticed that Toshiko was subdued and beginning to pack up and wondered what had been said between father and daughter.

"It is late and you have had a trying few days. I am grateful for all you have done but I must take over now. Jack, I should be grateful if you would remain here and brief me on all that has happened. Ianto, Owen, you should get home. Toshiko will drive you."

For once in his life, Jack was truly speechless. This was not the welcome he had expected. They had all done so much and now they were being dismissed to their beds like children. Before he had a chance to find the words to express his anger, Ianto laid a hand on his shoulder having read the signs and wanting to prevent Jack saying something he would regret later.

"Do you want me to ask UNIT to take over for the night, sir?" he asked levelly. He was as annoyed as Jack at being dismissed but did not see there was anything to be gained from saying so. Mr Sato was an important man within Torchwood and they had their jobs to consider.

"Please. I will see you tomorrow, when we are all rested." He went into the office.

Ianto gave Jack a push. "Go on. I'll wait up for you."

Jack sent him a helpless look and went into the office, shutting the door after him. Five minutes later, the black Rover drove out of the Torchwood garage gate and headed back to Sully. The three occupants were silent, too stunned to speak.

-ooOoo-

The call came into the police station a little after nine thirty. A homeless man was terrorising people in the bus station. A bus driver had been attacked and was down, half a dozen other people were cowering in a stationary bus and there was general panic as waiting passengers fled the scene. Arriving buses unable to get into the bus station had caused a traffic jam adding to the confusion. Gwen, patrolling the area on foot, was one of those called in to restore order. She was almost there when the radio cackled with orders to resume the patrol.

"I don't believe it!" she exclaimed after arguing unsuccessfully with the sergeant. She and her partner, Steve Pugh, were in Wood Street near the less-frequented back entrance to the bus station. The few fleeing people who had come out this way stopped to urge the police officers on, stories garbled but clearly frightened. "We ought to go and have a look anyway."

"Sarge says to get back on patrol."

"This is part of our area."

"No it's not. Come on, Gwen." He turned and started back the way they had come, following the crowd. At that moment two military Land Rovers hurtled by followed by a larger personnel transport.

"UNIT," she said softly. If they were here there had to be an alien connection. She hurried after the vehicles. The Land Rovers had entered the bus station but the transport was still outside about to unload soldiers. Gwen slipped past in the confusion and went into the station.

"Gwen!" yelled Steve. He had never wanted a woman partner and this one was the worst. She was bossy and always wanting to go her own way even though he was senior to her. Cursing under his breath, he walked after her. If he took long enough, maybe she'd have cooled off by the time he reached her. His leisurely progress was halted by the UNIT soldiers who had now sealed the entrance.

The bus station was well-lit and Gwen had a good view of the situation. The place was eerily quiet. Six stationary buses stood at the loading bays, all of them empty. Another was skewed across the turning area and anxious faces peered out from the grimy windows. One man in a Cardiff Bus uniform lay on the ground a few yards away. A large woman was propped against a far wall breathing raggedly with a man bending over her. UNIT personnel had closed the main entrance and pairs of squaddies were spreading out checking waiting rooms and offices for people hiding out there. All this was interesting but what caught and held Gwen's attention were the two Land Rovers and their complement of six soldiers a bare twenty feet in front of her. Two soldiers were positioned behind the Land Rovers with guns aimed at a small man dressed in rags; two were walking towards him, guns at the ready; and the remaining pair were circling behind him. They appeared to know what they were doing and would not welcome her interference and yet she lingered, standing well back, to see what they would do next.

The lighting took on a sickly hue about the same time one of the soldiers screamed. More screams came from all six soldiers. The four nearest the homeless man were writhing on the ground which was thick with a green goo. The two behind the vehicles, who Gwen could see best, went towards them at a run only to stop suddenly and start dancing around as if the ground was hot while yelling in pain. One of them fired at the homeless man but then dropped his weapon to try and lift his legs. Gwen took a step forward, thought better of it and stood on a bench instead. From this vantage point she saw the UNIT men, still screaming, were melting into the goo.

Horrified, she leapt down. A UNIT soldier appeared beside her and made to go and help his colleagues. "No! You'll get caught too," she yelled, pulling him away. "Radio in, tell them what's going on. Tell everyone to stay out of that stuff!" She pushed past him.

"Oy, come back here!" he shouted.

She ignored him and ran to a nearby telephone box. Inside, she quickly dialled the number on a card Jack had given her.

-ooOoo-

Ianto woke with a start. The mug jerked out of his hand and fell to the floor spilling a dribble of cocoa onto the carpet.

"Whoops," said a familiar voice close to his ear.

"Jack?" Forcing back the fuzziness of sleep, Ianto eased cramped muscles and sat up. He had been waiting for Jack and must have fallen asleep in the chair.

"Who else? You should have gone to bed." He bent to retrieve the mug and used a handy paper napkin to mop up the spillage.

"What time is it?"

"Late. Almost two."

"What kept you so – Jack, your arm!" The white bandage stood out under the torn short sleeve. "What happened?"

"Acid burn. Ever heard of a Bynire? No? They extrude a thick, gloopy acid when threatened. Eats through flesh and bone."

"Oh my God!"

"I'm okay. Only got a tiny spill and it was neutralised immediately." Jack went to the drinks trolley and poured a finger of whisky which he downed in one. "Ahh, that's better."

"Tell me what happened," demanded Ianto. He was on his feet.

"UNIT had a spot of bother. Gwen was there and tipped us off. Good job she did or there'd be even more of a mess."

"Will you tell me – What the hell!" He had caught sight of himself in the mirror. A red beret sat skewwhiff on his head.

"Like it?" Jack straightened the beret, pulling it down on one side. "It's your colour and looks very sexy."

Ianto closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "… eight, nine, ten," he muttered. Opening his eyes, he asked deliberately, "What happened?"

"Rift dropped a Bynire in the bus station. Everyone thought it was a homeless man, probably because its skin hangs off in strips a bit like rags. If they'd bothered to look properly they'd have seen the four eyes and three legs but no one looks at homeless guys. They walk past on the other side of the street and –"

"Jack!"

"Oh yeah. UNIT responded to the Rift alert but they didn't recognise the Bynire either and got too close. Spooked it. Out came the acid, all over the shop it was." He stopped abruptly, remembering the scene. "Three died outright. Two others lost their feet and half their legs as it ate into them and the last one … Well, there's not much of him left but he is alive."

Reaching out, Ianto held Jack close. Actions spoke louder than words and gave comfort a whole lot better. When Jack's hands moved to the Welshman's arse, Ianto pulled back. "What has Gwen got to do with it?"

"She was on patrol or got called in, not entirely sure, and saw the UNIT guys go down. Had enough sense to call me."

"Is she okay?" Ianto couldn't bear to think of her injured by the acid.

"Uh-huh. Saw what was happening to the UNIT guys and stayed clear. Sensible girl. Kept everyone else back too until we got there and could sort things out. UNIT are useless! They have absolutely no idea how to manage things. Only wanted to wade into the stuff! I know it was their guys but they could see there was no way of reaching them safely." He snorted in disgust.

"Gwen took control?"

"Yeah. Told all these guys to back off." Jack grinned. "It was something to see. She was facing down a Captain when I got there, giving him a right telling off." He sobered. "Upset her though, seeing people melt like that. It was pretty horrible."

"Where is she now?"

"Her boss sent her home. She'll be okay."

"And the Bynire?"

"In the Hub. Remember that metal and glass cube on level three? It's to hold creatures like that. It's totally sealed so nothing can get out."

"Makes sense. And the people in the bus station? What about them?"

"None of them got in the gloop so they're okay. Bus driver is in hospital with a broken collarbone and one woman had a heart attack but should be okay. The rest are being processed and sent home." Jack grinned. "Would you believe they're using the chemical spill story? The oldies are the best."

Relieved that everything was under control, Ianto quickly went over all Jack had told him. While Gwen and Jack had been involved in a major incident, he had been sitting here getting worked up about Mr Sato's dismissive attitude. His friends could have been killed – or worse – and he was fretting over trifles. He went to run a hand through his hair and encountered the beret. Even during a serious alert, Jack had found time to obtain it with the obvious intention of he, Ianto, wearing it. No matter the danger, Jack had thought of him. The glow of pleasure stopped him removing the beret immediately.

"How did you get this?"

"UNIT were grateful for our help. Very grateful." Jack grinned, delighted with his prize and appreciating the change of subject. "It'd look great on its own. Just you and the beret," he wheedled.

"Do you always imagine me naked?" Ianto scowled, trying to look fierce but failing.

"Pretty much. But only when you're not actually naked. Like you should be now." Hands started unbuttoning the pink shirt revealing the hairy chest underneath.

"Get off! Where's Mr Sato?"

"Still with UNIT. He has calls to make." More buttons were undone.

"What about?"

Jack shrugged. "Who knows. We'll be told if we need to know. But not now. Now, you – and your beret - should be in bed with me!"

-ooOoo-

The atmosphere over breakfast was restrained. Mr Sato sat silent at the head of the kitchen table and his presence inhibited conversation. Owen sat as far away as he could, head bent over his plate of bacon and egg only responding to questions directed specifically at him. Beside him, Ianto tried to maintain a normal conversation with Jack but it was hard going and there were long periods of silence. Toshiko busied herself getting the food ready – a mixture of Japanese and English dishes - then sat and ate her miso soup.

Setting down his spoon, Mr Sato looked around the table and cleared his throat. "I owe you all an apology. It is not an excuse but I have been under considerable strain these past few days and the journey was long and tiring. Entering the Hub and seeing you where my team should be was more upsetting than I expected. I should not have dismissed you as I did. I was rude and I apologise. I hope you can forgive me." He looked round the table and then bowed his head.

"We understand, sir," said Jack immediately.

"Yes, of course," added Ianto more tentatively. Mr Sato's attitude had been very rude but it was only polite to forgive him when he asked so politely.

Owen grunted in agreement.

Toshiko laid a hand on her father's arm. "It must have been a shock for you, Dad. And you look tired. I didn't hear you come in last night. Did you get any sleep?" Toshiko had lain awake for some time, going over what had happened in the Hub, wondering how she could have handled it better, only dropping off in the early hours of the morning.

"Not a lot." He smiled and looked round them again. "Thank you. I do appreciate all you have done these past few days. No one could have done better. I know you boys are planning to leave for London today but I should like to talk to each of you privately for a few minutes before you go. Will you have time?"

"We're not off until after lunch. But what about the base, sir?" asked Jack. He had finished his meal and had hoped to be asked to help out for an hour or two. Ianto was better at packing than he was.

"I have it covered. If you have finished, perhaps we could speak now."

"Sure." Jack glanced at Ianto who shrugged. Mr Sato had thanked them already, what more was there to say?

"Good. I should also like to speak to Gwen. Toshiko, would you telephone and ask her to come here?" Mr Sato wiped his chin with a napkin and stood.

"Okay," she said surprised at the request. "I expect she'll be up." Toshiko had heard from Jack and Ianto about the incident in the bus station and was going to telephone Gwen anyway. But why did her father want to see her?

"Thank you." He smiled down at her, ran a hand over her hair before leaving the room with Jack.

"What's all that about?" asked Owen. He was not looking forward to a one-to-one discussion with Mr Sato. With the return to London looming, he could think of little but the ordeal to come. He had to face the reality of Katie's death. She would not be waiting for him, in the flat or at the hospital. Only her dead body, currently held by Torchwood London, remained to be buried. Focussed on these depressing thoughts, Owen was ill-prepared for a discussion with his previous love's father.

"I have no idea." Ianto stared at the closed door.

-ooOoo-

"I think you should stay in this morning," said Mrs Cooper. "You still look a bit pale."

"I'm fine, Mam, don't worry." Gwen turned from the mirror where she was putting on her mascara and smiled at her mother. "It was nasty seeing the dead body but it wasn't my first. Feel a bit of a fool for coming over all funny."

"You don't think you could be …"

"Pregnant? Definitely not! I've got my period right now. I need some fresh air and I want to catch up with Tosh. We'll probably go for a walk on the beach which will do me more good that being cooped up indoors."

"I worry about you, cariad."

"There's no need." Gwen got up and hugged her mother. "I promise I'll not overdo it, okay?"

"I suppose."

Ten minutes later Gwen left Penarth and drove to Sully. She did not feel quite as well as she had professed. The screams of the UNIT men and the image of bodies melting in a pool of acid were vivid whenever she closed her eyes. The only remedy would be talking it over with Jack and the others and she would have gone to meet them even if Mr Sato had not asked to see her.

"Hi, Gwen. How you feeling?" asked Jack as he opened the front door to her.

"So-so. Can we talk?"

"Sure. But after you've seen Mr Sato. He's in the study with Tosh at the moment but they shouldn't be long." He took her coat and hat. "Ianto has coffee in the kitchen."

"I shall miss that when you've gone." She opened the kitchen door and entered. "Hi, Ianto. Jack says you have coffee on the go."

"Help yourself." He nodded to the side. "How are you? Jack told me about last night."

"Okay," she replied, pouring coffee into a clean mug. "Just did what had to be done at the time. It's only now I realise what a mess it could have been."

"And how dangerous it was," he pointed out. "I'm really glad you weren't hurt." He smiled as she joined him at the table.

"Yeah. That was the worst part, seeing what happened to those guys." Her fingers tightened on the mug as she remembered melting bodies.

"You were great, Gwen," said Jack. He placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. "You did everything right."

"Sure? I thought I'd cocked it up and that was why Mr Sato wants to see me." She sipped the coffee.

"Can't be that, you did great."

"Then what does he want? And so early too." She caught the exchange of looks between Jack and Ianto. "What is it?"

"Not for us to say," replied Ianto. "He wants to talk to you himself, but it's nothing bad."

"How do you –"

"Hey, Gwen. Thank goodness you're all right." Toshiko went straight to her friend and hugged her from behind.

"Give over! It's no worse that what you lot have been dealing with for the last couple of days." Privately Gwen thought that she might have been in more danger than they had been which gave her a secret thrill. After being excluded for so long, she had been at the centre of things for once and liked it.

"You must tell us all about it, but Dad wants to see you first." Toshiko stepped away and smiled. "Take your drink with you."

Gwen studied Toshiko's face. She was happy which was a good sign, and Ianto had said it was nothing bad. "Okay, then. I'll go face the lion in his den!" She left the room.

"Okay, Tosh?" asked Jack watching her closely. He knew vaguely what Mr Sato had said to her, based on his own conversation, but he wasn't sure of the detail.

"Umm. Where's Owen?"

"Packing."

"Oh." She looked at them both but couldn't read their expressions. She had expected them to be as excited as she was and instead they were serious.

"He has a lot to think about and I'm guessing so do you. I know we do." The loving glance to Ianto indicated who 'we' were.

"It's a lot to take in, Tosh," added Ianto.

"Yes. Of course it is. So what's next?" she asked.

"We have to get our heads together, all of us, and talk about this."

* * *

><p><em>What has Mr Sato said to them? What do they need to discuss? Find out in the last chapter coming soon ...<em>


	23. Looking Ahead

_The end is upon us. What will happen to the five friends ..._

* * *

><p><strong>Five Go Mad at Christmas<strong>

Chapter Twenty Three: Looking Ahead

At ten in the morning, the five friends gathered round the dining table. Mr Sato had left for the Hub to meet the two former members of Torchwood Three - who had survived against the odds – whom he had persuaded to return until a permanent team was formed. With support from UNIT and an experienced operative from London, he was confident Cardiff would be protected adequately for the time being. He left behind five young people who had a lot to think about. Jack had naturally taken the place at the head of the table with Ianto seated on his right. Owen was beside Ianto and facing Toshiko who had Gwen between her and Jack. From somewhere, Ianto had produced paper and pencils and Owen was doodling on his. The others all looked at Jack.

"I guess we'd better start. Who wants to go first?" asked Jack.

"You should," replied Toshiko.

"Okay, though this is really me and Ianto. Like I told him not so long ago, we're a team." He smiled lovingly at the Welshman. "We do everything together."

"Worked that out from the noise you make at night," interposed Owen. He laid aside the pencil and concentrated; his future depended on what was said in the next few minutes.

"Owen!" remonstrated Gwen. She was impatient to hear what Jack had say. "Go on, Jack."

"Right, here goes. Mr Sato has asked us to transfer to Torchwood Cardiff, to join the new team he's building. I'd be operations, working with Suzie when she's fit again, and Ianto would look after the archives and … just about everything else by the sounds of it!" He paused. "It's a big step for us. We like our lives in London. Got friends there and a way of life that won't be so easy down here. But the work would be more interesting."

"So? Are you going to accept?" pressed Gwen.

"We're not going to make up our minds until we've heard from you. All of you. So, Gwen, want to go next?"

"He's asked me to join too." She grinned, unable to suppress her excitement. "Said he was impressed with what I did last night. That I had a lot of common sense and stood up for myself. I've got a choice though. Either I stay with the police and be a liaison, a bit like I've been for you but more hands-on, or join properly as an operative." She paused for breath. "Obviously it'd be safer to be the liaison but I really want to be part of this. Being on operations scares the hell out of me but … Oh, it would be so much better than sitting on the sidelines! I'd be making a real difference. And there's no holding back because I'm a woman. I'd be doing the same as everyone else. That's right, isn't it?"

"Sure is." Jack grinned at her, seeing his enthusiasm mirrored in her face. "Some of the best operatives I know are women."

"Are you sure you want to do it?" asked Ianto. "It can be dangerous. And there's Rhys to consider. You are getting married soon."

"I know! And I know about the danger. Saw enough of that last night!"

"You do have to consider Rhys though," put in Toshiko.

"I am! Honestly, what you think I am! I'll talk to him about it but I know what he'll say. He'll want me to do what makes me happiest. And joining Torchwood would do that." She stared round at them defiantly.

"He'd never dare say any different," murmured Owen. Luckily only Ianto heard him.

"I want to join the team," she went on. "But I'm only going to do it if you join too, Jack. We worked well together last night, didn't we?"

Ianto recognised the look on her face. It was the same as Jack's months before when he had tried to explain why he had applied to transfer to operations. They had argued about it but in the end Jack had had his way. He craved the excitement and pointing out the danger had not dissuaded him, possibly Jack also craved that. Rhys would not be able to stop Gwen even if wanted to, just as Ianto had been unable to stop Jack.

But would Jack want to join Torchwood Three? They had speculated about it for the past couple of days but when faced with the offer were hesitating. It wasn't the jobs. There was more job satisfaction in Cardiff, especially as part of a new team built around Suzie. They could help shape their roles and take on duties and responsibilities that wouldn't normally come their way, particularly Ianto whose role was less well defined as yet. However, living in Cardiff would be very different from living in London. Their unconventional lifestyle was not remarked much in the capital where there were clubs and pubs catering for homosexuals if you knew where to look. There was nothing like that in Cardiff. Their social life, what there would be of it given the extra demands of the Rift, would be much more restricted.

Jack was speaking again. "We did. Like I said, Ianto and I haven't made up our minds. I'd like to hear from Tosh and Owen first."

"Yes, come on, Tosh," said Gwen. "I bet your dad wants you on the team."

"He does and he doesn't," said Toshiko with a slight smile. "I don't know what you told him about me, Jack, but he seems to think I'm some kind of genius."

"You are," said Owen. He was doodling again but listening intently.

"Absolutely," agreed Ianto and Jack together.

"He'd be mad not to want you," said Gwen.

"That's the dilemma. He wants me for my skills but doesn't want to put me in danger. He wants to protect me!" She rolled her eyes. "I told him I wanted to work for him, that I enjoyed it and thought it was maybe the best job in the world for me. There's so much I can learn from alien technology and –" She broke off when she spotted the others grinning at her. "Okay, getting a bit excited there. Anyway, I finally convinced him and we compromised. He agreed I can have a job with Torchwood provided I stay in the Hub. But not until after I graduate. So if you three are working there, I'd join you in the summer!" Her face glowed with the same excitement as Gwen's.

"That's wonderful!" shrieked Gwen. The two girls hugged delightedly.

Jack waited for them to quieten down. It was good to see them excited but he wondered if they had taken in the true nature of Torchwood. Despite their best efforts, he had the feeling they had been seduced by the more acceptable part of the organisation's remit and not paid enough attention to the darker side. He and Ianto had gone into the job feeling like them and had a rude awakening not long after joining. But, he had to admit, it had not put them off just strengthened their desire to reform from within. From all Mr Sato had told them it was clear that Torchwood Cardiff had already changed the way it worked. He hoped it was true and that, if the girls did join, they were not disappointed.

"What about you, Owen?" asked Ianto. "You've been very quiet so far."

"London holds nothing for me. All the plans I had were part of a life with Katie and without her there's no point in them," he said soberly. "Mr Sato's offered to fix a transfer to Cardiff Royal Infirmary. I can finish the current year with them. If I pass the exams I can either join Torchwood or get a Senior House Officer job somewhere else."

"Are you sure about leaving London? Don't make a decision yet if you're not ready."

"I wanna go to CRI. Well, anywhere other than Guys. Too many memories there. Joining Torchwood? Yeah, I'll probably do that too when the time comes. There are a lot of medical gizmos I didn't get a chance to suss out." He managed a smile. "I'd prefer it if you were down here too, Ianto. And you, Jack. Need a few friends around me."

"I'm here," said Gwen. "I know we don't see eye-to-eye all the time but I am your friend."

"Right." Owen was not sure he believed her but let it pass. "It's up to you two now," he said to Ianto and Jack. "Cardiff or London?"

Jack met Ianto's gaze. It was time to make up their minds. Hierarchical Torchwood London or the close-knit Torchwood Cardiff? Cosmopolitan capital of England or parochial capital of Wales? When it came down to it, there was not much doubt which they would choose.

Ianto smiled. "Cardiff," he said, speaking for them both.

-ooOoo-

Ianto stood in the living room of his flat and looked around. The home he had created was packed in boxes which were stacked every which way in the suddenly bare room. The photographs had been taken off the wall and packed away along with the books, records and other knick-knacks they had gathered during their stay here. He sighed, wondering once more if they were making the right decision.

"Want to keep this?" Jack entered the room holding a bent serving spoon.

"Yeah. It's ideal for spaghetti."

"You okay?"

"Are we … Is this the right move for us? Are we making a horrible mistake?" Ianto turned to face Jack. It was a week after their discussion with Owen, Toshiko and Gwen and they had been so busy since there had been little time to think.

"Unlike you to have second thoughts."

"It's just like me! We're burning our bridges, Jack. There's no way Hartman will have us back." She had made that clear at their one, highly-charged, meeting with her and their immediate bosses. He ran a hand through his already disordered hair. "And Cardiff's more dangerous than here. I don't want … I don't want anything to happen to you."

"I'll be careful, Ianto. Think I'd mar the perfection that is Jack Harkness?" He wrapped his arms round the Welshman's waist.

"I wasn't imagining you'd have a choice!"

"We've gone over this before so what is this about really? What's suddenly got into you?"

Ianto looked round, taking in the inexpertly hung wallpaper and messy paint work. They had decorated the flat together, a couple of months after moving in. "This is our home. The first real one we made together. There are so many memories here."

"Our next home will be even better with lots more memories." He kissed Ianto on the lips before releasing him. "And don't tell me you're not looking forward to finding a new place and decorating it because I won't believe you."

"I suppose I am." With a determined effort, Ianto focussed on the future. "Come on then, let's get this lot sorted. Owen will be back soon."

-ooOoo-

At that moment Owen was sitting on a bench looking over the Thames in the shadow of Tower Bridge. A shopping bag containing a bottle of milk and packet of biscuits was on the seat beside him. The day was chilly and overcast but that hadn't stopped him volunteering to get the groceries. Ianto and Jack had been great, letting him stay with them and helping with everything. However, it had been hectic and he needed a few minutes to himself, time to reflect on all that happened and to prepare for what was to come.

Going back to Guy's Hospital had been as horrendous as he had imagined. That had been on the day after they'd got back to London, a Thursday. He had gone alone – the others had to report in to Torchwood London – and spoken to his supervisor and the Medical Director. They had been sympathetic, understanding why he wanted to make a complete break, and quickly gone through the formalities of transferring to CRI. It hadn't taken long to clear his locker, even less to empty Katie's, and he had got out without seeing anyone he knew. He wanted it that way. Clearing his room at the flat had taken longer, but Ianto had come along to help and made sure he got everything. He expected his flatmates had already found someone to take his place. Jack and Ianto had cleared Katie's small flat over the weekend and the keys had been handed back to the landlord. Her stuff, with his larger items, had been sent down to Cardiff where Mr Sato promised to store it. Owen wasn't sure what he would need. Not a lot probably. He was moving in with Mrs Jones, into Ianto's old room, later on today. It was an arrangement that suited them both for now.

Watching a barge chug up the river, Owen remembered Clacton. Again it had been Jack and Ianto who had been with him. Torchwood had released Katie's body and made all the arrangements. The funeral was just the three of them and as soon as it was over they had headed for a pub where Owen had started drinking, not stopping until the following day. Yesterday. And now, Wednesday 10 January, was the start of the rest of his life. An empty life in new surroundings but with old friends. Good friends. The best a bloke could have. And they'd be waiting for him now. After all they had done for him it was only fair he gave a hand loading their stuff on the van. He picked up the shopping bag and took one last look at Tower Bridge. It was goodbye London and hello Cardiff.

-ooOoo-

"Hi!" said Toshiko cheerily. "Ready to start work?"

"Give us a minute!" complained Jack. He stopped beside her chair to take off his greatcoat. "Where's your dad?" The office was empty and there was no sign of him in the rest of the Hub. He moved aside so Ianto could hang up his coat.

"Level two. He and Mac are stowing some equipment. Hotel still okay?"

"Great, thanks. Didn't expect a suite."

"Got to look after you." She grinned. "I upgraded you but don't tell Dad, he thinks it's just a room."

"Tosh," said Ianto, "you shouldn't have! I'll change it right now."

"Leave it be," said Jack with a chuckle. "We're not going to be there long."

"You chose a flat? Which?" Toshiko had got together details of half a dozen flats for them to consider and they had spent yesterday viewing them all. "Bet it was the one in Splott."

"There? No way!" Ianto was horrified at the thought. "'Sploe' is not for us. We decided on the one in Kent Street. Grangetown is a much better place to live. We're moving in next weekend."

"My partner is a snob at heart. But I love him," said Jack. He pulled a soppy face.

Ianto rolled his eyes. "Hadn't we better get to work? This is supposed to be our first day." They had agreed to start straightaway as one of the 'retired' operatives persuaded back had had to quit. The Rift had been fairly quiet over the past week but the small makeshift team had been stretched. They would not be up to full strength until Monday, Gwen's first day and when Suzie was back from sick leave.

"Better wait for Dad. He said he wanted to talk to you both." She checked her screen. "They're on the way back up."

"I'll make some coffee then." Ianto went off to the machine, keen to see what state it was in.

"He okay?" asked Toshiko.

"Bit nervous. We both are, that's why it's so good to see a friendly face here. You been in every day?" Jack pulled out a chair and sat at the neighbouring desk.

"Most of them. Having me here means the Hub is covered when there's an alert."

"Nothing to do with needing you to interpret all this then." He waved to the screens and keyboards in front of him.

"Nothing at all," she replied with a grin. Being involved with Torchwood had helped her reconnect with her father and left little time to think about Mary. It was going to be a wrench to return to Cambridge in a few days, especially when her friends would be together in Cardiff. She was already planning which weekends she could get back home.

"I believe I win my bet," said Mr Sato as he emerged from the lower levels. "I told you Ianto would be making coffee."

"I'll no' be making any more bets with you." Stuart 'Mac' McGregor handed over a half-crown. "Hello, Jack!"

"Hi, Mac. How goes it?" He stood as his former partner from London approached. When asked to recommend someone to help out, Jack had not hesitated in suggesting Mac. He had three solid years' experience of Torchwood yet retained an independent mind and anarchic sense of humour.

"All right. Any joy with your search?" He was staying in the same hotel as Jack and Ianto and had stood them a drink in the bar on their first night so knew all about the flat hunting.

"Found the perfect place. You can come see it when we've moved in." Jack's attention shifted to the other side of the Hub where Ianto was talking to Mr Sato. It was ridiculous to be nervous about meeting the man who would be their boss – he knew him so well already – but that was the only thing that explained the elephants stomping around in his stomach.

"Housewarming, is it? It's all parties do'un here."

"Parties?"

Toshiko explained. "Gwen's invited Mac to the engagement party on Saturday."

Jack grinned. "I'd forgotten about that. Should be a good do from what I hear." While the friends had been too busy to meet, they had spoken on the telephone. Gwen had been full of plans for the party and for transferring to Torchwood. As expected, Rhys had not raised any objections to her change of career.

"Mrs Cooper is pulling out all the stops. Last I heard there's going to be around a hundred people there."

"A hundred people?" asked Mr Sato. He and Ianto were climbing the steps to the raised work area.

"At Gwen's party. Thanks, Ianto, I've really missed this." She accepted the mug he held out.

"Gwen and Rhys's party," corrected Ianto. "There's two people involved."

"Doubt he had much say in the arrangements," added Jack. He was regarding Mr Sato. "Good morning, sir."

Mr Sato smiled. "Good morning, Jack. Welcome both of you. You know Mac, of course. Sandra is out this morning and we only call on UNIT assistance when needed so there is no one for you to meet at the moment."

"I canna' get over how small it is do'un here," said Mac. "Was always falling over people in London." He sipped the coffee and made appreciative noises.

"I believe a small team works better. Jack, Ianto, let's go into the office and I can bring you up to date."

Ten minutes later the Rift alarm sounded and Jack and Mac left to deal with it. Mr Sato stayed in the office following the action on his monitor while Ianto looked over Toshiko's shoulder.

"Only a small one this time," she said. "From the looks of it, should be an artefact."

"When did you get to know so much?" Ianto was watching the strange map with various lights and lines of text. It made little sense to him. That had to change. If he was going to be in the Hub while Jack went out into potential danger he was determined to know as much as possible about what he was facing. In London he had been oblivious in the archives while Jack risked his life; now it was in his face.

Toshiko shrugged. "I correlated the logs with the Rift energy spikes. Not hard."

"You are a genius, Tosh. Teach me about this," he waved at the display, "I want to know what I'm seeing." He was still sitting there when Jack and Mac returned with a Hes'pla hairdryer.

-ooOoo-

The engagement party was in full swing. The hotel ballroom was decorated with flowers and banners in yellow and green. On a low dais, a small band played romantic standards to which couples were dancing. Around the edge of the room small tables were occupied by family and friends of the engaged couple, some hundred and fifty people in all.

"Don't think they could cram any more people in here," said Ianto. He was standing near French windows, open a crack to let in fresh air.

"Had to change rooms, I heard. Look, Tosh has got Owen to dance." Jack pointed to the edge of the dance floor. "They look good together." The party was a dressy affair and Owen was spruced up in jacket and tie while Toshiko was wearing a long dress of green silk.

"He needs cheering up."

"Once he gets stuck in at the hospital, he'll be fine." Jack nicked a cheese and pineapple stick from a dish on the table. "Can't believe how changed Tosh is. Remember what she was like before Christmas?"

"That seems such a long time ago."

"Enjoying yourselves?" asked Rhys. He and Gwen were circulating, talking to everyone between turns on the dance floor.

"'Cos they are," she said with a laugh. On Monday morning she would officially be part of Torchwood and she couldn't wait.

"Your mam and dad look happy," said Ianto. Mr and Mrs Cooper were exemplary hosts ensuring everyone had a good time.

"Finally getting me off their hands!"

"Bound to make anyone happy," agreed Jack. He grinned when she stuck her tongue out at him. "Very grown-up, Gwen. Sure you still want to marry this hellion, Rhys?"

"Never surer." Rhys gave her a smacker of a kiss. "Come and meet my parents," he said to the boys.

"Already met them. You two go and dance." They went off eagerly.

"His parents are not enjoying themselves." Ianto was watching Barry and Brenda Williams who sat stolidly at a table, looking disapprovingly at the frivolity around them.

"More fool them. Come with me." Jack opened the French windows and pulled Ianto out onto the patio.

"It's cold out here."

"But private." Jack moved to a sheltered spot in the angle of a wall. "We can't have the razzmatazz, I know, but like Rhys I want to be with the person I love. Will you marry me, Ianto Jones?"

"I am already, near as can be." Ianto refused to take the proposal seriously. Their relationship was barely tolerated by society as it was, there was no chance of a proper marriage.

"How can we be married when I haven't asked you?"

"Has something to do with washing your dirty socks. Only someone married to you would do that!"

"I'm being serious, Ianto. If we could, would you marry me? With all the bells and whistles."

"In a heartbeat."

"Then consider yourself engaged." He produced a jeweller's box. "One for you and one for me." Two plain gold bands lay side by side in the box.

"Oh, Jack." Ianto took one of the rings and reached for Jack's left hand. "With this ring, I thee wed," he murmured.

Taking the other ring, Jack put it on Ianto's finger. "I promise, as soon as it's legal, and it will be one day, we'll do this for real. In a church and everything." He dropped the box into a pocket and cupped Ianto's face before kissing him softly.

In the ballroom, Toshiko and Owen stood by the French windows watching their friends. Rhys and Gwen were inside and Jack and Ianto were outside, both couples slow dancing to _When I Fall in Love._

* * *

><p><em>And so it ends. The Torchwood Cardiff team is complete with the addition of Suzie, Mac and Mr Sato. Not sure if we'll hear more about them, it depends on you. Let me know if you'd like more adventures. Finally, many thanks to everyone who has read, reviewed and alerted this story, I really appreciate your support - Jay<em>


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